A Spoonful of Sugar
by Ilovetoread09
Summary: A collection of one-shots transferred from tumblr. Genres vary.
1. Chapter 1

AN: This a fill for the prompt: Caskett's son cries every time Rick picks him up.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

"Shh. Come on now, buddy. Mommy needs her sleep and your crying isn't going to allow that."

Rick cradled his newborn son in his arms, trying to soothe the wailing infant. Kate had been running nonstop since they had returned from the hospital two days prior. Rick had tried to help, but every time he had picked up little Tim, the boy would cry. Kate would give her husband a sympathetic look before taking their son and then she would coo at him and bounce him until he calmed down.

At the moment, however, Kate was asleep in their bedroom and Rick didn't want to wake her. She deserved her rest and Rick would make sure she got it.

Carefully holding his son with one arm, Rick went to the crib and grabbed the stuffed elephant that sat in the corner.

"Look," he crooned, using his free hand to wave the animal. "It's Stompy!" Not the most creative name, but Tim seemed to have taken a liking to it.

Unfortunately, the baby continued to cry. Rick had tried everything. Tim wasn't hungry, didn't need a diaper change, and he didn't need to be burped either. He had been crying since he had woken up fifteen minutes before and Rick was at his wit's end. Sighing, he put his son back in his crib. Finally, Timothy began to quiet down.

"Oh come on," Rick groaned. His son hated him and the kid wasn't even around long enough for Rick to have screwed up anything!

"Castle?"

He turned around at the sound of his wife's voice and came face to face with a half asleep Kate.

He gave her a small smile.

"It's okay, Kate. I've got it, go back to sleep."

She rolled her eyes before approaching the crib and peering over it to look at their son, who was now quietly staring back at his mother.

"You giving your daddy a hard time?" Kate crooned, picking Tim up and carrying him to the rocking chair in the corner of the nursery. "There, now you're happy."

Rick smiled at the sight in front of him before frowning.

"I feel like a failure," he muttered, looking longingly at the infant. He wanted to cuddle with his son so badly, but Tim wasn't having it.

Kate focused her gaze on him and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Just give him a little more time, Castle. He's still trying to get used to his new surroundings." He could tell she was trying to placate him, but it wasn't working.

"I shouldn't have gone on that book tour." He walked over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"You know you had to," she reminded him.

"Yeah, but I missed some of the most important moments of your pregnancy because of it!"

He had been scheduled for a three month book tour which just happened to start during the beginning of the sixth month mark of Kate's pregnancy. He had tried to reschedule it, but Paula was adamant that he needed to do it.

So, off he went. Kate and he Skyped and called each other every day. During the calls, Kate would show him the progress of the baby. It was great, but he wanted to be there for all of it. Since he was away, the baby never got to really hear his voice and Rick never actually got to feel his son kick.

Rick had missed a lot of things with Meredith's pregnancy and he had promised himself he wouldn't miss anything with Kate's. However, the universe had other plans. He had just gotten home in time for the birth of his son, the one thing he was determined not to miss.

"He never got familiar with me, so I'm a complete stranger to him."

His wife sighed, placing a now sleeping Tim back into his crib. She then came back, placing both of her hands on Rick's cheeks.

"Relax, Castle. I'm sure within the next week he'll be dying to be held by you. After all, you are easy to warm up too." She gave him a teasing grin.

He rolled his eyes. "It didn't seem like that with you."

She chuckled before giving him a peck on the lips.

"Come on, Babe. Let's go to bed."

"I'll be there in a sec."

She nodded before heading back to their room.

Walking over to the crib, Rick smiled at the sight of his son sleeping peacefully. The blue onesie pj's and the way his tiny fists were clenched made him look irresistibly cute.

Whispering so as not to wake him, Rick said,

"I don't mind if you need a little more time to get used to me. Just don't take as long as your mom did, okay?"

After gently stroking Tim's cheek with his finger, Rick backed away from the crib and went to rejoin his wife in their bed.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Fill for the prompt: One of Caskett's kids is adopted but doesn't know it. He asks why he doesn't really look like his siblings. To explain, Caskett tell him his adoption story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

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Kate was sitting on the couch beside her husband, reading a book. Patterson's latest to be precise. Rick was writing on his laptop. They had just put their last child to bed and were looking forward to some moments of silence before going to sleep themselves. However, the patter of approaching footsteps let her know that her plans were not going to happen.

"Mom? Dad?" a voice called from the foot of the stairs. Kate looked up to see their eight year old, Ben, looking at them.

"What's up, buddy? I thought you went to sleep a while ago?" Kate inquired.

He shook his head. "I couldn't sleep."

She gestured for Rick to move over before patting the now empty spot next to her. Ben walked over, sitting down on the black leather.

"Something on your mind, Ben?" Castle asked, concern written on his face.

Ben looked like he was about to say no, but then changed his mind. He nodded his head, looking down at his hands.

"Can I ask you guys something?"

"Of course," Kate responded reassuringly.

"Why don't I look like Lily or James?"

Needless to say, both Castles were stunned at their son's question. Examining his expression carefully, they could tell he was being serious.

"What would make you ask that, sweetheart?" she inquired in a gentle manner.

"Well, whenever we're around people, like family or strangers, they're always talking about how Lily looks like Dad." Lily was their twelve year old who had Castle's striking blue eyes and his mischievous smile.

"Or how James looks just like Mom." James was the youngest, almost four, and had Kate's curly brunette hair and her hazel eyes. "But with me, no one says anything." Ben frowned, seeming genuinely confused and upset.

Rick and Kate exchanged a knowing look. They had wondered when this day would come. Neither had missed the lack of commentary from strangers when it came to Ben's looks. In fact, there had been a view times where someone would joke that Ben could've been adopted.

They weren't wrong.

Ben's short black hair and brown eyes were no one where near what any of other Castles looked liked. Not that Kate or Rick cared, he was their son all the same.

"Well," Rick started, contemplating on what to say. "You know how your classmate Will's parents brought him from a different country when he was born?"

Ben nodded.

"That's because he was adopted."

Rick and Kate had met Will's parents. They were a very nice couple who were thrilled to see that they had something in common with the Castles.

The little boy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"So…I'm not yours?"

Kate shook her head fervently. "No, you are ours sweetie. I just didn't give birth to you."

Ben frowned, clearly deep in thought. His expression went from concerned to content. "Do you know what happened to my other Mom and Dad?" he inquired, his curiosity peaked.

Kate exchanged a look with Rick, giving him unspoken permission.

"Why don't I tell you the story?" Rick asked, wrapping an arm around his son's shoulder.

"Okay." Ben beamed. He always loved his father's stories.

"Now let me start." Rick hummed in thought. "Well, one day your Mom and I were solving a case, which was interesting because–"

"Castle," Kate warned.

He looked at her sheepishly and mouthed 'relax' to her before saying,

"Your Mom and I were in the middle of figuring out who the bad guy was in our latest case of a dead couple when we got a call. Apparently, someone decided to hide at the crime scene." Castle gently ruffled his son's hair.

"Me?"

"Yeah. Your mom hid you behind a large stack of boxes in her closet.

She made sure there was enough space in the opening that you could breathe."

"So, what happened after that?"

Castle smiled, recalling how he and his wife had enthusiastically volunteered to take the baby in.

"Once we were okayed by Social Services, we brought you home."

"

Was Lily there?" Ben looked so entranced at what his father was telling him.

"Yes, she was four at the time. She was also very excited to get a short-term sibling." Rick chuckled, remembering how Lily had peered curiously into the carrier the moment they arrived home.

"She wanted to play with you all the time, and we both had to stop her from overwhelming you," Kate recalled with a wistful smile.

"

Anyway, we had you for a few days until the bad guy was caught. Social Services came by to take you away from us, but you had really grown attached to us and we had gotten used to you," Castle teased and Ben rolled his eyes.

In reality, Kate and Rick had been thinking about trying for another kid, and had fallen in love with little Benny, knowing he would be a perfect addition to their family. He reminded them of what it had been like when Lily was a baby, and they enjoyed all of it, even the late night wakings from his cries.

Kate playfully slapped her husband's arm before saying, "So, we told the woman from the service that we wanted you to live with us forever. After signing some papers and answering some questions, you were officially able to live with us and we became your parents." Despite having Lily, the adoption process was still grueling, but it was all worth it.

Ben sat there quietly and Rick could see he was trying to sort all of the information out in his head. After a few moments his calm voice said,

"Okay."

"Okay?" both adults said in unison.

"Yeah, I understand what happened. Just one question."

"What is it?" Kate asked.

"The people that the bad guy hurt, were they my other mom and dad?"

Rick sighed. "Yes, they were. However, I'm sure they're happy in heaven and looking down on you right now."

Ben grinned. "Good. I'm glad they're happy, I wouldn't want them to hurt."

Rick and Kate smiled down at their son, relieved that he seemed to take everything well. They were sure there would be more questions in time, but he had retained enough information for the night.

"Well, that's enough of a story for tonight," Kate said, getting up from the couch. "Time for bed. You have school tomorrow."

"Yes, Mom," he replied, getting up and hugging them both with as much strength as his body would allow. "'Night Mom and Dad. I love you."

"Love you too, buddy."

"Love you too, sweetheart."

As their son went off to bed, the couple went off into their own room, thankful for the small family they had created.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Okay since there seems to be some confusion, let me clear something up. The prompt fils are standalones. They are in different universes, they are not inter connected in any way. That means Tim from prompt one has absolutely not relation to Ben and his siblings from prompt 2. I filled these prompts on tumblr and am transferring them here for those who don't use tumblr. Hopefully this clears up any confusion regarding supposed name changes and me apparently not being able to get things straight in my own stories. Okay, now onto the fill!

Prompt: AU meeting at the park. "I don't know if you've noticed, but your toddler seem to be having fun riding my dog. And my dog looks like he's enjoying himself too"

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

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Kate Beckett turned the page in her book, trying hard, and failing at blocking out the incessant noise around her. As her eyes attempted to focus on the words on the page, she heard a bark come from nearby followed by a playful growl. She looked up to see two dogs fighting with each other good-naturedly, both tugging at a chew toy they had found.

Being in the dog park on a Saturday wasn't exactly Kate's ideal way to spend her weekend. However, she had promised her neighbors that she would dog sit for them while they were away on vacation. So, she took the very happy, yet calm canine into her home.

She had felt bad for cooping Chester up all week besides the occasional walk to go to the bathroom. So, she took the golden retriever to the park, figuring it would be a nice change of scenery and a good time to take advantage of the s

Thankfully, Chester was well-behaved, so she was able to plant herself on the bench as he played with his fellow canines. However, she would look up every now and then to make sure he was in her line of vision. He had been and it had stayed that way.

Until now.

Instantly on alert, Kate scanned the area, her eyes darting back and forth across the field where the dogs played. Unfortunately, there was no sign of him. Closing her book, she stood up from the bench and began to walk further away from the area, thinking he mustn't have gotten too far. After a few minutes of searching, her shoulders sagged in relief when she spotted him not far off in the distance. As she approached him, she realized he had company. Very giggly company.

A girl, who appeared to be about three or four, had decided to hitch a ride on Chester. She laughed happily as she bounced up and down with each trot, her tiny hands holding onto his collar, red ponytail swaying in the process. Kate smiled when she realized how slow the furry friend was going, as if he was aware that he was carrying precious cargo. A moment later, he stopped at her feet, his tail wagging vigorously.

"Who's this, Chester?" she asked, giving a friendly smile to the girl.

"Fun doggy!" the girl exclaimed, patting Chester's head with her hand. The dog didn't seem to mind.

"Yes, I see." Kate chuckled. "And what's your name?"

"Alexis," the little replied, smiling.

"And where are your parents, Alexis?" she asked, her cop-in training mode kicking in.

Alexis turned her head and pointed to where a man was running toward them from a distance.

"Daddy!" she cheered when the man caught up with them.

"Alexis, I told you not to run off," he scolded. "You scared me."

"Sorry, Daddy." A pout formed on the little girl's face, an expression Kate was sure had been used multiple times. Sure enough, the man's expression softened.

"It's okay, just don't do it again, got it?"

"Okay," she mumbled, hiding her face in Chester's fur.

He rolled his eyes before turning toward Kate.

"I'm sorry," he said. "She's in a dog phase right now and goes after anything that resembles one. I've had to stop her from taking a ride on a few already."

She snickered, glancing over at the two new friends, who seemed ready to take another lap around the park,

"It's okay, I understand," she replied. "I don't think he cares." As if if to confirm her statement, Alexis began gently tugging on Chester's ears and he didn't move a muscle.

"I'm Rick, by the way." He held out his hand and she shook it. She wasn't about to tell him that he didn't an introduction, especially since his book was sitting on the bench she had been

"Kate." She grinned, internally jumping for joy at meeting her favorite author.

"Kate, I like that. It suits you." He winked and she rolled her eyes. He then glanced at Chester, who was panting enthusiastically. "He must be a handful," he commented.

"He's my neighbors, I'm just watching him for the week while they're away."

"Ah." He hummed. "So, what do you do, Kate?"

"I'm a police officer, well almost. I graduate from the academy in two months."

He let out a low whistle. "A cop? Interesting. No offense, but I wouldn't peg you as the cop type."

She shrugged. "I had circumstances that led me to it."

"I see," he murmured thoughtfully.

"So, what do you do?" she asked unnecessarily.

"I write novels. Maybe you've heard of them."

"Depends on the genre," she replied, deciding to tease him.

"I would like very much to know which genre it is you read. Maybe over a cup of coffee?" He gave her a playful smile.

She blinked, surprised and thrilled that he was asking her out.

"Sure," she replied as subdued as she could.

A second later, he whipped out a piece of paper and a pen, scribbling quickly before handing it to her.

"That's my number. Call me whenever you're free."

She nodded. She was about to say something before a bark interrupted her.

"I guess it's time to go home," she grumbled.

"Same here, actually." He shook his head.

However, before they could gather their respective companions, Chester carefully got up and began walking around, eliciting another round of high pitched giggles from Alexis.

"Maybe let them do one more round?" Rick suggested, winking.

Kate nodded, giving him a small smile.

Best Saturday ever.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: So, this is pure fluff based on someone's head canon that Kate resembles a koala when she snuggles.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

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Rick groaned, his eyelids slowly opening. A few seconds later, he became alert enough to realize that it was dark out and that he and his wife probably had a few more hours of sleep before having to wake up and face another day.

Attempting to roll over, he was stopped by the force of something wrapped around him, or more accurately, multiple somethings. He grinned in the darkness, recognizing the feelings of arms and legs encasing him like a cocoon, a face nuzzled against his neck. To him it was the best feeling and position in the world.

The first time it happened, he thought it was an effect of the trauma that she had experienced. It was the night she had arrived at his door, soaking wet and expressing her desire for only him. Later that night, after both of them were fully sated and were dozing off, they cuddled. However, when he had woken up later due to the demands of nature, he had found that she had taken cuddling to the extreme. Her arms were wrapped around his whole upper frame and her legs trapped his. He had been tempted to take a picture at the time, but he held a certain reverence for their first night, so he decided against it. However, she had done it multiple times since and he was definitely going to take advantage of the opportunity presented to him.

Reaching over to the nightstand, he grabbed his phone in a stealthy manner, and flipped the lamp light onto the dimmest setting. Opening the camera application, he slowly moved the phone above his head, making sure to get both of them in the shot and then hit the button. A clicking sound emanated form the phone and he cringed. He had forgotten to turn off the shutter.

Kate shifted in the bed, sighing into the pillow.

"Babe, 'hat are you doing," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the cotton sheet.

"Nothing, Dear," he responded, quickly putting the phone back on the nightstand.

Rolling her eyes, she uncurled herself from him, climbed over him and retrieved the device, unlocking it.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she searched through the most recent apps before shaking her head and smiling.

"Really? You got up in the middle of the night just to do this?" An unimpressed expression crossed her face as she showed him the image. He chuckled, undeterred. She looked absolutely adorable!

"Just like a koala," he murmured.

"Koala?" she quizzed.

Snatching the phone, he searched for an image and put hers next to it.

"See? You look just like a koala!" he exclaimed proudly, shoving the screen in her face.

"No, I don't," she said. However, her lip twitch told a different story.

Looking at the image again, he grinned. It was a picture of a koala hugging a tree, its tiny claws digging into the bark, its head leaning against the tree. Next to it, Kate's position perfectly mimicked the photo.

"Maybe I should start calling you Koala Kate," he teased.

Kate rolled her eyes before turning over and snuggling back into the sheets.

"Goodnight, Castle."

"Or maybe Madame Marsupial."

"Go to sleep, Castle."

"How about-"

"Castle!" He could hear the scowl in her voice.

He sighed, pouting.

"Alright, goodnight, dear."

He lay back down, wrapping his arms around her and closed his eyes.

That night, he dreamed of a koala that carried a baby marsupial in its pouch.

Oddly, the kola resembled his wife.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: When I write fills, I never know where they're going to go. Which is why they sometime don't turn out as well as I'd like. However, i actually like this one. Hope you guys enjoy it too.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Richard Castle was relieved when he stepped into the laundromat and found that he was the only one there. Well, it shouldn't really surprise him. It was late into the night and most citizens of New York City were probably at home with their families or in bed. He, however, was still wired from a party he had just left. Unfortunately, as he began to leave, someone had spilled their whole glass of punch all over his shirt and pants. He knew his clothes needed to get washed soon, otherwise the stain would never get out. The one problem was, he didn't want to wake his four year old daughter with sound of the washer and dryer. So, he opted to go to the nearest laundromat to get himself cleaned up.

As he stripped down to his boxers, he heard the bell ring, signaling the entrance of another customer. He didn't turn to look as he stuffed his clothes in the metal container. Measuring out the soap, he plopped it in the holder and turned the machine onto the fastest time available. Then, his wait began.

He turned around and watched a brunette woman standing at a table, her back facing him.

She had a bottle of stain remover with her and was scrubbing quite intensely at a white blouse. He peered over, eyes widening as he saw what appeared to be blood stains on the blouse. Not seeming to notice him, she moved to a pair of pants and gave them the same treatment. Once finished, she tossed them into the machine next to him, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Okay, now he was starting to get a little freaked out. He began to slowly edge himself away from her. as he did so, he could've sworn she was smiling. Maybe he should go outside, where it was safe. Yeah, that was it, he would wait out there, just outside the door. Forget about being in his underwear, he needed to get away from this woman.

He was about to act on his thoughts, when her voice interrupted him saying,

"Don't worry, I'm not a psychotic killer."

He turned around to see her, hands on her hips, eyebrow playfully raised, and a smile on her lips.

"Huh?"

She rolled her eyes. "Come on! I saw you gaping at the blood stains on my outfit."

"Well, uh," he said, looking at his feet sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's fine." She hummed. "In case you want to know, I was chasing down a suspect and had to shoot him. However, the guy still put up a fight, hence why I have blood all over my clothes. I changed to lounge wear before coming over here." And it clearly was lounge wear. Black yoga pants that showed of her toned assets and a black tank top that exposed a lot of skin and some very lovely shoulder blades. But wait she had said…

His head popped up. Suspect?

"You're a cop?"

If he was being honest, she didn't look like a cop. She was beautiful really. Shoulder-length brown hair, heart shaped face, hazel eyes, and a killer body. She fitted more of the model mold, not that of a law enforcer.

"Homicide Detective actually. Just got promoted last month, so this is my first take down as a full fledged detective." She raised an eyebrow, eyeing him up and down. "So, what's your excuse for being in your underwear at this time of night?"

"A drink got spilled on me last minute at a party."

"Must've been some party," she guessed.

"Nah, just one of the party goers had a little too much to drink and wound up stumbling into me. Word of advice: Don't stay to long at a party full of writers. Chances are a few of them will try to get you to listen to their newest ideas while they're intoxicated."

"Noted," she muttered dryly. "So, you're a writer."

"Yep. I've been known to be the master macabre and mystery in my circle."

"Mystery writer, huh? Anything I might have read?" She was clearly teasing him now, her back leaned against the table, legs crossed, a perfect picture of playfulness and confidence.

"Hmm, Storm Fall, perhaps In Hail of Bullets?"

"Heard of them, never read them though."

He huffed. "Alright, I'll allow In Hail of Bullets, but Storm Fall is a must read!"

"Says the author." As she said this, both the washers dinged and the duo moved their clothes into the dryers in unison.

He pouted. "Hey! Don't knock it until you try it."

She laughed, and he had to admit, it sounded beautiful.

"Alright, I may give it a shot. Although, I question trusting the guy in just his underwear."

He flashed her a grin. "You have to admit, I'm irresistible." Flexing his partially existent muscles, he smirked and she shook her head. He leered at her. "Maybe if I take off my underwear it'll convince you."

She made a face. "No it won't. You'll only get arrested for public indecency and I'd rather not have to make another arrest today."

"Okay, okay, I give." He shrugged and then realized something. "I don't even know your name!"

"It's Kate Beckett." She stuck her hand out and he shook it. As he did so, he felt a spark run up his arm. It seemed like she noticed it too.

"Rick," he replied. "So, you uh, want to grab a coffee sometime?"

She looked at him surprised before nodding. "Okay, sure. Let me get your number and I'll tell you when I'm free."

Taking out a piece of paper, he wrote his number down and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she murmured, looking at him intently.

Just then, both of the dryers buzzed and the two removed their clothes. Rick put his back on and she put hers in a bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

"I'll give you a call," she said, waving to him as she began to leave.

He nodded, giving her a smile and a wink. "I'll be waiting."

"Oh and Rick?"

"Yes?"

"In Hail of Bullets was pretty good." She gave him a smirk before closing the door behind her.

He gaped after her retreating form before smiling and shaking his head. The little minx.

She was going to be a very interesting woman to get to know.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: So, I'm in Belfast, which is why there has been sever lack of updating. However, I have a few minutes of free time, so I decided to put this up.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Prompt: meeting AU set after montgomery's funeral. kate did not get shot and decides to go to the old haunt where some drunken idiot tries to insult her and get his hands on her when castle goes inbetween as the owner of the old hunt and throws the drunken out of his bar. and he invites her into his office to apologize and make it up to her. (bonus if its love in first sight and rated m)

* * *

She had been staring at her drink for fifteen minutes, that much he knew.

As the owner of the Old Haunt, Richard Castle prided himself on keeping an eye on his patrons whenever he was bartending. He liked to interact with his customers, know their lives, their stories. And the brunette beauty at the end of the bar definitely had one.

She was obviously contemplating something, but the loud, vibrant atmosphere of the bar was distracting her. Her hand would twitch at any loud laugh or shout emanating from one of the customers. It wasn't like he had been staring at her the whole time she was there. Really, he hadn't been.

As the customers began to die down, and the bar was beginning to close for the night, he saw she was still there. Her head was bowed, her eyes focused intently on the wood in front of her. However, Rick could've sworn he saw a few tears be shed.

He then saw a man, not much older, or taller, than her, and clearly intoxicated, approach her. The man rested his chin on her shoulder, murmuring something in her ear. She grimaced, shaking him off and dismissing him. The man looked annoyed, and tried again. The woman turned around, glaring at him. Then the man tried to put his hands on her and she clenched her teeth, her hand gripping his arm and it looked like she was going to flip him.

Deciding to end the situation as quickly as possible, Rick nodded his head to a burly man in a nearby booth. He was a heavy Rick had employed the bar in case a customer decided to get a little too rowdy. He tossed his head in the direction of the intoxicated man and the beautiful lady. Chester, the burly man, winked before walking over.

At this point, the woman had the man on the floor and a few of the patrons had turned to watch the show. Chester, however, gripped the man by both of his shoulders before dragging him out of the bar, the intoxicated guy muttering curses as they went.

Rick immediately walked over to her, giving an apologetic smile.

"I'm terribly sorry about that," he said. "No woman deserves to be treated like an object. Although, it looks like you were able to handle him." He raised an eyebrow. She gave a bitter laugh in return.

"I better be able to, given that I'm a trained cop," she responded, looking at her half full glass. "Thanks though." She gave him meager smile.

He hesitated for a minute before saying, "Listen, it looks like you've had a rough day."

She snorted. "And the guy bugging you was probably the cheery on top, so why don't I make it up to you?"

"You're closing,' she stated. She looked at him curiously, obviously trying to read him.

"Yes, but I am the owner and I can do what I want." He winked, hoping to ease her worries. She didn't appear moved.

"Okay…" she trailed off.

"So, follow me. But first, what is your name?" he asked.

"Kate Beckett," she replied.

"And what is your favorite color?" A sweet laugh emanated from her at that one.

"Purple, " she answered, playing along, a little brighter this time.

"Okay, now that you have successfully passed the test, come with me."

She raised an eyebrow, looking at him warily, but complied.

He led her to the back of the bar, which was completely silent, with the exception of the sound of their footsteps on the wood flooring.

"Welcome to my secret lair." A somewhat maniacal laugh came form his lips and she just rolled her eyes. He pouted, allowing her down the set of steps before him and he followed.

She looked around, her eyes going wide before commenting, "Nice office."

He shrugged. "I go here to hide from the customers and sometimes my family." Going to the flask of scotch on his desk, he poured himself a glass and he offered her one.

"No thanks. I shouldn't be drinking honestly. I just came here to get away." He watched as her eyes roamed the space, taking in the pictures that were scattered and hung around the walls.

"That's my daughter," he explained, taking down a picture of him and Alexis when she was ten. They were at the beach, their expressions happy and carefree. "She's older now, and much more mature than me." Kate's hazel eyes examined the picture closely, her lips turning up.

He gestured for her to have a seat and she complied, sitting in one of the red clothed arm chairs near the white sofa.

"So," he started, observing her. She was more relaxed, but there a sadness to her, one he wanted to take away. "What are you running from?"

She blanched at his question, looking at her hands.

"Don't want to talk about it?" he guessed, his tone gentle.

She shook her head. "Yes. No. I don't know. I probably should, since I'll have to talk about it at some point." Her head raised up, eyes shining with tears.

A quiet settled over them as he waited for her to speak.

"I buried my captain today," she finally blurted out, a crack in her voice.

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before remembering she was a cop.

"He was my mentor, sort of a father figure to me. I've known him since I was a rookie still in uniform. He was my captain when I became detective." She bit her lip. "And now he's gone. He was killed. Shot in an alley and left for dead. He left a wife and two beautiful girls behind." She shook her head, wiping her tears away with her sleeve.

His heart clenched at her story and his next question left his mouth with desire to know more of the it."Did they catch who did it?"

Her head shook in dismay.

"No. And I think it was my fault that he was killed."

He frowned. "How?"

"I was digging into an old case," she murmured. "Someone else who was close to me was killed long ago. Anyway, I was looking into it and found something that connected him to it." She ran a hand through her hair in an attempt to calm herself. "Someone must've been watching because before I could ask him about it, he was killed." She shook her head again before bowing it. "Now I'm never going to see him again." She sniffled and Rick hesitated, unsure if he should hug her or not.

"I know it doesn't do much, but I'm really sorry, Kate." His tone was sincere and he hoped his eyes reflected the same thing as she raised her head up again.

"Thank you." She sighed. "I'm sorry for bothering you with this. I just, I guess needed someone to talk to." He could see she was trying to close herself off, as her expression slowly became stoic and she started to stand. "Thank you, again. But I should go." She smiled but he saw through it. Catching her wrist, he shook his head.

"I think you should stay a little longer. You're not really in any condition to go home." Her eyes flared dangerously, so he backpedaled. "No offense, I'm just a little concerned, okay? I can't let my customers go home without knowing they're safe." He gave her a boyish grin and she huffed, sitting down again.

"Can you just promise me something?"

"Sure. What?" He would promise her anything just to see her smile. What was wrong with him?

"Don't put my story in your books." His mouth opened slightly and she shrugged. "Yeah, I know who you are. Do you think I would've willingly come down here if I didn't know who were? If I didn't, I would've asked earlier. I may be grieving, but my cop instincts are still intact."

"As shown earlier," he responded. Normally, he would be annoyed at a woman allowing him to lure them into his basement, knowing his status. However, she clearly wasn't after anything.

"So, you promise?"

He nodded, holding up his pinky finger. "I pinky promise."

She chuckled, reaching out and connecting her pinky finger with his. A shock occurred at their connection and her eyes sparked, clearly showing that she felt it too. She ducked her head, her cheeks turning a beautiful shade of pink.

"I think I'm okay now," she announced. "Thank you so much, Mr. Castle. I really do need to leave, since I'm on call."

He sighed, nodding in acceptance and standing to show her out.

"May I have your number then?" He hoped he didn't sound like he was begging, but he would if he had to. "Just so you have someone to talk to?"

"That would be nice, actually." Her eyes focused intently on his face an she gave him a shy smile. "It would be good to talk to someone who doesn't expect me to bottle it up."

He beamed. Then, they exchanged numbers and he escorted her to the door.

"Goodnight, Kate," he murmured.

"Goodnight, Mr. Castle."

"Rick," he corrected.

"Goodnight then, Rick."

He thought for a moment, before placing his lips gently on her cheek, giving her a quick peck. She blinked, surprised, before letting a grin cross her face.

"I'll text you," she said, before opening the door and heading out into warm, spring air.

Then, she was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: The next several fics are just fills I wrote on tumblr but never actually transferred to here. So, this one and to whatever chapter number this ends on are all fills.

Prompt: How about a fic showing Montgomery's feelings on the now established Caskett relationship. I mean could be something like him looking at them from beyond or maybe he is still alive. I dunno, I just think it would be cool to read what he thinks of them now that they are together"

* * *

Roy Montgomery always prided himself on being right, most of the time. However, he was also humble enough to admit when he was wrong. Even in death, he still held onto these traits.

Dying was, strange, to say the least. He hadn't been exactly sure what to expect. A bright light, maybe, or darkness. He didn't know. However, when he had died the hangar, he had felt himself be transported out of his body. It was dark for a while, but then he found himself sitting in a meadow, with a blue sky and the greenest grass he'd ever seen. It turned out that he wasn't the only occupant of the space. There wee several other 'spirits' with him, all of whom were waiting to be lifted out the space between heaven and hell, he had been told. He could do what he liked, he could even travel to earth if he wanted. So, that's what he chose. Making frequent, almost daily, trips to Earth. However, he didn't know how often or how long he went. They didn't keep track of things like time where he was now.

So, he went to earth, watching over his family, seeing them grow and age. He was so proud of his girls. One was graduating high school and going off to Dartmouth. The other was almost done with high school as well and had her goals aimed just as high. He marveled at the Evelyn kept it together after his death and coped throughout the years. However, she never found another man, yet. Roy couldn't help but be slightly thrilled about that.

Roy didn't just watch over his family though. He often frequented the 12th precinct, where he once was in charge. On those visits, he would watch his former colleagues work, usually doing paperwork or going over leads on a case. Sometimes, he would sit in his old office and watch the new captain. He had known Victoria Gates when he was alive. She was a professional woman, very strict, but respectful to those who she respected and who returned the sentiment. He hadn't been surprised though when she disagreed with Castle being a consultant at the 12th. As time went by, he saw her warm up to the writer, even if she never admitted it.

Speaking of Castle, there was no person who Montgomery could be prouder of, besides Beckett of course. The writer had matured over the years, helping the team with their cases and being Beckett's anchor when she needed it. He had proven himself to be one of them and worthy of the boys' respect, and Beckett's love.

Ah, Beckett. What a long way she had come since Roy had first met her. She had been driven, which was always a good thing for a cop, but for the wrongs reasons. When he had caught her looking at her mother's file, he had known she was going to be a great detective and she was. However, she had been too straight laced, too stoic. He'd rarely see her go out to drinks with guys after work or go home when everyone else did. She often spent late nights at the precinct and would be there earlier than everyone else in the morning. So, when Castle came along, Roy was happy that she had a little disruption in her life. He had a feeling that something would happen between them, he just didn't know when. What he hadn't counted on, however, was Castle re opening the Johanna Beckett case. Roy knew his guilt would be revealed at some point, he just didn't know when. So, he wasn't surprised when everything spiraled out of control two years later. He had known the sacrifice he would have to make to keep Beckett and Castle safe. So, he died knowing that he had tried to make amends. Then, he watched.

He saw Kate get shot in the cemetery and Castle's confession to her. The former captain was disappointed, but not surprised, when Beckett pushed Castle away and isolated herself in her father's cabin. He spent the summer watching them practice their own forms of coping. For Beckett it was trying to get better, and, for Castle it was writing. He obseved them become partners again the following fall, along with Becket seeing a therapist, who helped her piece her life back together along with Castle, of course. He had been hopeful that they would get together soon and was thrilled when they seemed to be getting closer and closer together as the year went on. Beckett opened herself up more and seemed ready to be with Castle. However, that came crashing down when Castle overheard Kate's confession to Bobby. The man almost thought they wouldn't get together, but then they had patched things up as they always did. However, their big fight regarding her mother's murder had left him on edge, curious as to what would happen. He might be dead, but he wasn't a mind reader. However, he rejoiced when they got together that same night, and of course, gave them some privacy.

The years following that event was a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. Throughout the whole time though, one thing proved true. They were there for each other and were partners through thick and thin. He and some of the occupants of his current space had made a playful bet, with nothing at risk, for when Castle would propose. He had thought six months. The guy who had bet a year won.

When the wedding day arrived, Roy wanted to glare at the big man upstairs or fate, or whatever force it was, for not letting them get married. Regardless, the couple of course worked through the situation and got married the following November. He beamed with pride, being an invisible onlooker to the ceremony. He was sure Castle would be amused at the fact of a ghost attending their wedding.

Now, Kate was ready to take the captain's test, and he knew she would do him proud. Castle was also taking the next step in his career and Roy couldn't be happier for him.

However, he felt an even bigger joy as he stood in the Castle loft and looked on as Kate handed Castle a small package, a book, Roy knew from watching her earlier. The book would bring a smile to his face and inform him of their newest addition to the family. He was sure the joy was due to the fact that there would be a little Castle or Beckett running around the loft.

Or maybe it was because he was always, or usually, right.


	8. Chapter 8

Prompt: inkstainedcoffeecup asked: "Fic prompt: Cops and Robbers post-ep. After dinner, Alexis pulls Kate aside to apologise about her earlier freak out, and they wind up having a heart to heart in which Kate admits to a few things... not realising Castle's listening"

* * *

Kate knew she should be heading home. Dinner had been cleared off the table and she had to go into work the next day. However, Castle had tempted her with a Stars Wars marathon, accompanied with snacks of her choosing. How could she say no? Plus, she wanted to be with him. The events of the day had left her shaken up, and the longer she saw him alive and breathing, the better she would feel. So, she decided to stay.

As she was putting away the last of the dishes, against Castle's orders, she heard the clearing of a throat behind her. She turned around, coming face to face with Alexis.

"Hey, Alexis," she said, giving the teenager a smile. The girl had been oddly quiet during dinner, only speaking on occasion.

"Hey," Alexis murmured. There was a flicker of uncertainty in the teenager's blue eyes.

"Can I talk to you?" Kate looked over her shoulder to see Castle and Martha staring at them. "In private?" the girl added.

"Sure," the detective responded, wondering what was going on in the girl's head. The day had been trying for all of them, so maybe she wanted to talk about it? However, she didn't seem exactly pleased with Kate earlier, so maybe there was something else happening.

They went into the study, where Alexis shut the door, before taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," she started. Huh? "For earlier," the red head clarified. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. You weren't the reason my dad was in the bank and I know you were trying everything in your power to get Dad and Grams out of there. I just," she sniffed, using her sleeve to wipe away the tears that were forming.

"Hey, no, Alexis," Kate said, placing her hands gently on the teenager's shoulders.

"Listen to me. Today was very strenuous on all of us. I don't blame you one bit for getting upset. I understand what you're going through."

"Really?" There was a hint of relief forming in the blue eyes staring at her in wonder.

Kate nodded. "Yeah. And you wanna know a secret? I was scared too."

"You? Scared?" Alexis scoffed, rolling her eyes as if it was ridiculous notion.

"You bet. I was really scared that I wouldn't be able to get your Dad and Gram out of there safely. I had never done a hostage negotiation before, so today was almost pure luck. And your dad was a big help in getting everyone out alive."

"Yeah, he can be cool like that sometimes." Alexis gave her a watery smile.

"Exactly." Kate thought for a second before saying, "It's days like today where I realize how much time I'm wasting waiting for the right opportunity to be with your father."

The youngest Castle's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What's stopping you?"

"I need to fix myself a bit more, to be better for him. There's still stuff I need to sort out, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later."

"Do you love him?"

Kate hesitated, not expecting the girl to be so direct. However, after a brief moment, she nodded.

"Yes, I do, very much so. I just don't want to be hanging onto things from my past when I'm with him. I want to be able to fully put myself in the relationship."

"That's good," Alexis replied. "But you know he wouldn't care either way, right?"

She shrugged. "I know, but it would make things easier for us. Well, whatever our definition of easy is, of course." Both women chuckled lightly at the statement.

"Can I hug you?" The question surprised the detective, but gave an enthusiastic nod nonetheless.

"Sure!"

The two embraced each other, solidifying their growing bond.

"And if you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here."

A smile of gratitude came across the teenager's face.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

"No problem." Kate wrapped arm around Alexis' shoulders. "Now, why don't we go watch your father recite every line of the movie?"

"And the faces he makes?"

"Obviously."

Alexis opened the door, revealing a stunned looking Castle.

"Uh, hi." He looked sheepish.

Kate's lips twitched in amusement. "Were you eavesdropping, Castle?"

"Um, no? Yes? Maybe?" he squeaked.

"For that, Alexis and I get all of the popcorn. Isn't that right?" She glanced over at the red head, who was snickering.

"Yep!"

"Ganging up on me already, I see." He pouted. Then, his expression turned mischievous.

"But you might want to hurry up before your sundaes melt."

With that, Alexis darted to the couch, obviously to claim a bowl of Castle's version of a sundae.

Turning to Kate, Castle gave her a soft smile.

"You're incredible, you know that?"

She shrugged. "I was just trying to help, but thank you."

"Anytime."

He held out his hand for a second, before beginning to retract it. However, she reached out, interlocking their fingers.

"Come on. Let's go see Luke and Darth Vader fight each other," she said. So, they walked to the couch, her head resting on his shoulder.

She hoped it would continue to be like this in the days to come.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: For the Castle Halloween Bash 2015 from castleficpromoter. Not very Halloweeny, but eh.

* * *

Kate adjusts her sleek, black mask in the bathroom mirror. Turning her head side to side, she checks to make sure it's on right before grabbing a tube of lipstick from the marble countertop. She and Castle had decided to do a couple's costume this year for his party, and she was certainly pleased with the results.

After applying a shade called "apple red" to her lips, she steps back, running a hand along the smooth, tight costume that almost accentuates her every curve. It's not uncomfortable, thankfully, but Kate knows that soon enough she won't be able to wear something like it for a while.

She does a bit of a twirl, having no issues balancing on her six inch black stilettos. She sighs, knowing full well that they will have to go too. She's not too sad though, she'll be able to wear them again at some point and the reason for not being able to is well worth it.

As she places her cat ears on her head, she gives herself one last glance in the mirror. A year ago, she was living in a hotel room, battling some very real monsters. She didn't think she would be able to return home again. Now, she's back where she belongs.

She hears Castle's footsteps on the wood floor of their bedroom, rummaging through some drawers.

"Babe, do you know where my costume is?" he calls out.

"I put it in the closet," she responds, leaning against the doorframe.

He turns, looks at her, and his eyes bulge. His eyes grow dark as they travel up and down her frame, obviously very pleased with the image in front of them.

"You make a very sexy Catwoman," he growls, striding over to her and pulling her in for a kiss.

"Mmm," she murmurs against his mouth. "And you'll make a very handsome Batman. Now, go get into your costume," she orders and he lets out a little whine before conceding. As he walks into the closet, her lips turn up involuntarily, knowing what he'll find there.

"You know, we still have thirty minutes left before the guests arrive," he says seductively through the doorframe. She rolls her eyes. He has such a one track mind sometimes. When it comes to sex at least.

"Did you find your costume yet?" she asks, tapping her foot impatiently.

"No, not yet. Where did you," he stops and she grins. Finally!

There's a long silence and soon she starts to get worried. Is he in shock? Before she gets to check on him, he steps out of the closet, the outfit she bought in hand.

"Kate," he breathes.

"I decided it was best to get the costume now. It's never too early to have them become a fan of Batman, you know?" She shrugs, taking the Batman onesie from him.

His response is pulling her to his chest and kissing her fiercely, before leaning his forehead against hers.

"Are you," he starts and she nods vigorously, kissing him again.

"Yes, I'm pregnant."

"God, Kate, that's wonderful, that's fantastic!" he exclaims, picking her up and twirling her around. She giggles as he sets her down, absolute joy in his eyes.

"So, next year, we can be a crime fighting trio," she teases. He grins at the prospect.

Then giving him a playful shove, she says, "So, go finish getting your costume on!"

"Okay, Catwoman and future mother of my child." She smiles, knowing that will take some getting used to.

A moment later he's in his costume, jumping out of the closet, fists on his hips.

"Let's go fight some crime!" he exclaims, linking his arm through hers. "I can't wait to teach him or her about the greatness of Halloween and Batman."

"Easy there, stud. First, let the kid come out of me first."

He chuckles and she leans her head against his shoulder, one hand resting on her abdomen.

She couldn't wait for next Halloween.


	10. Chapter 10

Prompt: Castle wakes Kate in the middle of the night so he can show her the first snow of the year."

* * *

Kate feels herself being woken from her slumber by a gentle hand shaking her. Eye lids half open, she glances at the clock on the nightstand, which glows 3:00 AM. Groaning, she rolls herself over, only to be greeted by the view of her smiling husband.

"What's going on, Babe?" she slurs, voice filled with sleep. "It's the middle of the night."

"Look!" he exclaims.

She sits up a little, seeing that he has slid back the curtain to reveal the window. She squints, attempting to understand Rick's excitement. A moment later, she begins to see little flecks of white in the night sky, falling onto their window.

She raises an eyebrow. "Snow?"

He nods, his grin resembling that of a child's on Christmas Day.

"Not just any snow," he explains. "It's the first snow of winter!"

Despite her weary state, she lets a smile form on her lips. His happiness is infectious, even at this late hour.

"That's great, honey. Now, let's go back to sleep." She starts to roll over, ready to place her head on the soft pillow for a few more hours of sleep, when his voice stops her, saying,

"But we need to celebrate."

Turning her head toward him, she gives him an eye roll.

"We can celebrate in the morning. Now, we sleep."

She hopes that would convince him. However, she isn't the least bit surprised when he walks out of the room. She sighs, shaking her head, afraid of what he has planned.

She sits up more, knowing there's no use in trying to sleep. The clanking of pot and pans from the kitchen reaches her ears, making her wonder what the hell her wonderful, crazy husband is doing. Figuring she'll find out soon enough, she grabs the book from her nightstand and opens it the page she bookmarked earlier.

Kate stays like this, occasionally looking up to see if Rick has returned. When she doesn't see him on the fourth glance, she's about to get out of bed when he enters the room, carrying two mugs. He hands her one and immediately her nose is assaulted with the smell of chocolate and…peppermint?

"Peppermint hot chocolate," he explains. "A Castle tradition for the first snowfall of winter."

She laughs. Of course he would have a tradition for this.

Taking a sip, she hums in satisfaction. The drink is sweet, but not overly so. He smirks at her reaction, while taking his index finger and removing the whipped cream and bits of peppermint that have stuck to her nose. He licks it, his tongue swirling. She bites her lip and he chuckles.

"Come on, watch the snow," he says, sitting down at his end of the bed, patting the empty spot next to him.

She joins him, taking another sip before leaning her head on his shoulder. Raising her mug, she clinks their cups together playfully.

"To the first snowfall of winter," she toasts.

"And the first one as a married couple." He beams. "May there be many more."

They sit in silence, watching the flecks of white cover the window, and enjoying each others company.

She briefly thinks of a child, with her hair and his eyes, sitting in between them at some point in future. However, she shakes off the thought, taking another sip of hot cocoa.

Maybe next year.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Fill for the prompt list: "oh wow this necklace is super pretty WHAT DO YOU MEAN REAL DIAMONDS NO TAKE IT BACK THAT'S TOO MUCH"

Set Season 4.

* * *

Kate is bent over her desk, finishing one of the many reports that's been piling up over the past days, when she hears the elevator. She doesn't have to look up to know who it is.

"Good morning, my dear detective," he greets, placing her customary bear claw and coffee on her desk.

"Morning, Castle," she greets, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "What brings you here? There's no body today." Although, she doesn't mind him being there. Not that she would tell him so.

His mouth forms into one of his boyish grins.

"I believe today is a special day, is it not?"

She stares at him, her mind drawing a blank. Her glance slides to the digital calendar on her computer, which is currently highlighted on November 17.

"Oh," she says and then shrugs. "I guess I just forgot." She never liked making a big deal out of her birthday. The most she'd do would be to have drinks with Lanie or in the more recent years, go to Remy's with Castle.

"Well, good thing I remembered," he replies, beaming."I have something for you for this special occasion."

With a flourish, he produces a plain yellow bag from behind his back. He sets it on the desk, smiling expectantly.

"Aw, thank you, Castle. You didn't have to get me anything." Although, if she had asked for anything, even a pony, he probably would've found a way to get it for her.

"Nonsense. Now come on, open it up!" he exclaims, bouncing on his toes with excitement.

She grins, grabs the bag, and peeks inside. Reaching in, she pulls out a medium-sized, purple, square box. Lifting the lid, she gasps softly when she sees what's inside. Gingerly, she removes the silver chain nested in cotton, holding it up to the light.

The necklace glistens, creating a slight simmering effect on her desk. As she examines it, her lips curve into a smile when she spots the pendant. Two gem encrusted loops combined, making for a familiar symbol.

"Oh Castle, it's beautiful," she breathes, fastening it around her neck. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." He gives her one of his smiles, the one that makes his eyes crinkle.

"So, Remy's?"

"Ah," she hesitates. "Raincheck? I have a lot of paperwork to finish."

"Fine." He pouts, before sighing dramatically. "I guess I'll go write."

"I have a feeling you better," she says, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you have a deadline?"

"Don't remind me," he mutters. "Well, I bid you adieu, Beckett. Also, I'm holding you to that raincheck." With that he heads for the elevators, giving her a little wave after he steps in.

She chuckles, shaking her head as she turns her attention back to her paperwork.

* * *

A while later, she receives a text from Lanie telling her to come down to the morgue. She contemplates declining, but realizes it's time for lunch anyway. When she arrives, she spots her best friend cleaning some tools.

"So, what's up?" she asks.

The M.E. turns around, hands on her hips. "What's up? Girl, it's your birthday is what's up. Come here and let me give you a hug."

Kate chuckles as she embraces her friend. "Thank you."

"So, drinks tonight?"

"Um, nah, maybe some other time. I have a lot of paperwork to finish."

Lanie rolls her eyes. "Oh come on. The paperwork will be there tomorrow. It's your birthday, have some fun."

The brunette shakes her head. "Nope. Besides, I already turned down Castle's offer for dinner. I would feel bad if I took your offer over his. Soon though, okay?" She and Lanie haven't had drinks in a while. It would be a good way to catch up.

"Okay, okay." Her friend huffs. "So, Castle asked you out to dinner, huh?" She tosses Kate a knowing smirk.

Ignoring the obvious teasing, Kate replies, "Just his usual offer for Remy's. Oh, and he gave me this necklace as a gift." She pulls the jewelry out, showing it to Lanie.

"Oh, that is very very nice. I bet it cost him a pretty penny too."

"Lanie," she scolds. It was rude to think about something like that with a gift. Besides, he probably only paid like one-hundred dollars for it at most.

"What? You remember he plopped down one hundred thousand dollars for you once, right? This necklace would be small potatoes to him." Taking out her phone, Lanie grasps the necklace, taking a picture.

"What are you doing?"

The M.E. holds her finger up while grinning. "I have an app that tells you the price of any item you can take a picture of. Works great for all of the stuff I see in magazine ads."

Kate huffs in exasperation. "Lanie, I really don't see the point in," She's cut off as her friends shoves the phone in her face, the sight of price making her jaw drop. "Oh my god, are you sure that's right?"

"Mhmm. Told you so," Lanie sing-songs.

"That's way too much!" Kate exclaims, clutching the pendant. "He has to take it back! This is more for if I was his girlfriend."

"Well, technically…" the M.E. trails off.

"It's not appropriate," Kate grumbles, glaring at her friend. "This is all your fault."

"Whatever you say, girlfriend. I would keep that necklace though."

Kate shakes her head. "I'll talk to him later, once my paperwork is done."

"Alrighty then,' Lanie mutters. "Happy Birthday!"

Kate's lips twitch as she exits the morgue, waving her hand in acknowledgement. However, her mind is on other things.

Like killing Castle.

* * *

It's not until much later, when it's well past dark, that her paperwork is done. Kate bids the boys goodnight, who exchange final birthday wishes with her as she leaves.

When she arrives home, she immediately dials the familiar phone number, her fingers impatiently playing with pendant hanging from her neck as the phone rang.

"Happy Birthday to you," answers a singing voice. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this late call, Beckett?"

She bites her lip. "Ahh, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Sure, what?"

"The gift you gave me, the necklace," she starts.

"You're very welcome for it," he interrupts, sounding like an excited little boy.

She closes her eyes, hating to let him down. "It's beautiful, Castle, but I can't accept it."

"Why not?" he whines.

"It's too much. Real diamonds?" Real, very expensive diamonds.

"What else would they be?" he asks, his voice taking on a tone of confusion.

"Castle," she sighs. "It's not appropriate. It's not like I'm your girlfriend." The _yet_ hangs heavy in the air.

"You don't have to wear it work," he suggests.

Her fingers rub her forehead as she sighs. "I just-"

"Look, Kate," he begins. "Just think of it as a preview of what's to come." She smiles at the thought. "If it makes you that uncomfortable, just put it away in your drawer or something. Then, take it out when you're ready to use it." He's not pushing, which she's thankful for; however, the implication is clear. "Either way, I'm not taking it back. Besides, I don't think it would go with anything I own," he jokes.

She chuckles. 'Okay, I'll keep it. And I do appreciate it, Castle."

"You're welcome. Goodnight, Kate."

With that, he hangs up, leaving her smiling. Looking at the pendant, she sighs, knowing it's a reminder of the promise they made to each other.

She hopes they can start fulfilling it sooner rather than later.


	12. Chapter 12

Prompt fill for castlefanfic's challenge. prompt: Penguins.

* * *

When Richard Castle became the boyfriend of Kate Beckett, he expected to learn some new things about her. Her habits, her sleep patterns, the type of toothpaste she used. All things to help unravel the mystery that was his girlfriend. This also included all the little quirks and obsessions she had, and boy, she had an obsession.

He barely noticed it at first. One night, she had worn a set of very cute pajamas, which were sky blue with cute creatures scattered throughout. He had smiled, thinking she looked adorable in such an innocent looking outfit. Also, she had matching slippers to go with it. It was so cute!

The next thing he noticed was the little notepad on her nightstand, and a matching pen,was decorated with them, with a similar color scheme to her pajamas. He had chuckled, finding it sweet. However, it wasn't until one day when he flipped on National Geographic that he realized Kate had an obsession with the things.

The channel was running an all day long-special, from animated movies to documentaries. He was about to bypass it, when she stopped him.

"Let's watch one show," she suggested casually and he conceded.

Soon, one show turned into two, then three. As he sat there not he couch, Rick observed his girlfriend next to him with acute interest. Her eyes were glued to the screen, wide and innocent, her lips curving into a small smile. That's when he realized she had an obsession, with penguins.

Badass Kate Beckett had an obsession with cute, cuddly penguins.

The thought made him chuckle softly. He knew shouldn't be all that surprised. She had practically melted when Royal walk through her door during their bout of joint custody.

However, his recent revelation made him love her even more.

"So," he started, as the credit rolled on the screen. "You like penguins?" He shot her a teasing grin.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I absolutely love them!"

"How come?" She raised an eyebrow and he cringed, realizing how the question sounded. "Not that I have a problem with it or anything. I was just wondering."

"Well," she trailed off, thinking. "They're interesting creatures. Take for example the fact that the father carries and protects the egg while the mother goes to find food for the family. It's such a role reversal." She smiled dreamily. "Plus, they're just so darn delightful, with the way they waddle and all that!"

"So you like them because they defy social norms and they're cute?" he asked. She nodded in affirmation. Interesting.

She laughed. "What? Were you expecting some deep backstory on why I like them?" His expression turned sheepish. She snorted, before leaning over and giving him a chaste kiss. "Sorry, to disappoint you, Mr. Writer. However, I'm sure you'll dig up other things that do have a story to them." Returning to her original position, she grabbed the remote. "Now, let's watch the next show. It's my one of my favorites." He smirked, suppressing the instinct to comment on how she had said the exact same thing about the first two.

Instead, he watched the absolutely joy on her face, which in turn made him feel the same.

Also, now he knew what to get her for her birthday.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Prompt from: /XplodingUnicorn/status/725665294912479233 Thanks to adorbskatic for the idea.

* * *

Rick types on his laptop, the glow of the screen surrounding him as words form on the document in front of him. Everything else is silent, save for the tapping of his fingers on the keys. His wife is asleep in the next room and he dare not wake her. Unfortunately, his bout of insomnia got the best of him, so he's writing until he can find sleep once again.

As he types, he swears he can hear movement coming from the kitchen. Glancing up, he sees a shadow cross the doorway, making him smile, but also internally groan.

"Daddy?" a small voice whispers in the darkness.

"What's up, buddy?" Rick asks, holding his arms out as his son waddles over to him.

"I can't sleep," James states simply, climbing onto his father's lap, albeit clumsily. Rick grips his waist, hoisting him up and settling the boy on his lap.

"And why is that?" It's a familiar game between the two. James comes downstairs in the middle of the night to snuggle, claiming lack of sleep. Rick indulges him, even though he shouldn't. Kate would kill him if she knew he allowed their kid up this late. Hell, she probably already does know.

"There's a scary monster under my bed," he replies, his blue eyes wide, innocent.

"A scary monster, huh?" Rick bites back a smile. "Why do you think there's a monster under your bed?"

"Cause I head a thump." To illustrate his point, James hits his fist against his father's thigh.

Rick raises his eyebrows, holding back a chuckle. "A thump? Hmm. I see." Pretending to think, he glances into the bedroom, feeling relief he when sees Kate is still fast asleep.

"So, a scary monster?" The response is a nod. "How scary is this monster, do you think?"

"Really, really scary!" James exclaims, waving his hands for emphasis. "I think I need to stay with you and Mommy."

Rick struggles to keep a straight face at his son's antics. However, he knows he needs to put his foot down.

"Okay, but," he pauses for dramatic affect. "Is the monster scarier than a grouchy mommy?"

He can see his son stop, thinking over his answer. He's sure the boy his imagining the gentle glare Kate gives their son when she disapproves of his mischievous activities.

While it may not scare a suspect, that glare could frighten any toddler within a fifty foot radius.

James pouts adorably. "No," he sulks.

"That's what I thought." Rick laughs, lifting him up into one of his arms, while closing his laptop with the other. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

His son sighs begrudgingly, leaning his head on the older Castle's shoulder.

Once in bed, James settles in, puling the comforter up to his chin, his tiny fingers peeking out from under the cloth.

"Good night, Buddy. See you in the morning," Rick says, giving the boy a quick, tender kiss on the forehead.

"Night, night, Daddy."

Rick smiles softly, shutting the door behind him.

When he slides into bed, Kate lets out a soft snort, but otherwise remains unmoved. He stares for a moment, admiring how beautiful she looks when she sleeps. Hair in disarray, lips parted, and soft snores coming from her mouth. To him, she's picture perfect.

He lays his head on the pillow, and goes to wrap his arms around her when the silence is broken.

"So, scarier than the monster under the bed, huh?" She turns around, patented glare aimed at him. He smiles weakly.

Looks like he won't be getting any sleep tonight.


	14. Chapter 14

Prompt: "Honey it's pretty crowded with all three kids in our bed" - "Yeah, well maybe you should have thought of that before you told them that scary ghost story."

* * *

Kate opens her eyes as she hears the pitter patter of feet enter her and Castle's room.

"Jake?" she questions. She peers behind him to see his brother right at his heels. "Reece?"

"Momma, can we swleep with you and Daddy?"

"How come?" she asks, already knowing the answer.

"Ghosts," Reece explains, fright in his eyes.

She sighs. She's so going to kill her husband.

"Come here you two." She opens her arms wide and the boys clamor in, snuggling into her embrace. "Alright, now let's get some sleep, okay?"

"Yes, Momma," Jake, the more talkative of the two, replies. Reece nods.

She lays her head down on the pillow, but her eyes remain open, ears listening for any extra sounds coming toward the room.

Five, four, three, two, one…

"Mommy?" a voice calls as feet hit the wood floor. Yep, there it is.

"Hey, Lil. Can't sleep?"

The little girl attempts to put on a brave face, but it quickly fades at her mother's question.

"Come here." Kate pats the empty spot on the bed and Lily climbs in, her little body just about able to fit. "Now, sleepy time, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Lily replies, despite her body being upside down. Her feet are dangerously close to Castle's face, and Kate knows her daughter kicks in her sleep.

 _Serves him right_ , Kate thinks smugly.

As she begins to doze off, she hears her husband grunt. She smirks, already guessing his next movement. Sure enough, he rolls over, or rather, attempts to.

"Kate?" he calls out, not wanting to disturb the kids.

"Hmm?" she murmurs, faux drowsiness in her voice.

"Don't you think it's a little crowded with all three kids in our bed?" he questions.

She turns cautiously, making sure her glare is on full force.

"I don't know, you tell me. You're the one who decided to tell them a ghost story right before bed!" she hisses. He shrinks into his pillow, pouting.

"Well, you should have let me finish it."

"Why did you even pick that one?"

Castle had decided to tell their children the 'kid friendly' version of the haunted house case, the one before they were together. How he made it kid friendly, she has no idea. It didn't help that all three children are under ten and two of them still become frightened at the sound of thunder.

He shrugs. "It seemed entertaining at the time."

Rolling her eyes, she sighs, poking his chest, careful to avoid the twins.

"No. More. Ghost. Stories. Capiche?"

"It's so sexy when you speak another language," he chuckles.

"Castle, I'm serious. Otherwise, this," she gestures to the three sleeping children. "Is going to become a habit."

"Okay, okay. No more ghost stories, I promise. " He gives her a charming smile, but she just shakes her head, turning to face the wall.

"Good. Now go to sleep. We all have to get up in five hours."

"Yes, Dear."

She smiles in satisfaction. It's easy to get her husband to listen to her, most of the time. However, she doesn't really mind the kids sleeping in her and Castle's bed, particularly since all three are growing up so fast.

But Castle doesn't need to know that.


	15. Chapter 15

Prompt: Kate arrives at the Hamptons in the middle of a snow storm turned into a full-blown blizzard. But instead of going to her parents' house, whom she was coming to visit, she enters the house next door by mistake - Richard Castle's house - and gets duly invited in for some hot chocolate.

* * *

Kate Beckett squints, attempting to make out any form of landscape in front of her. Unfortunately, white flurries land on her windshield faster than her wipers can erase, making any chance of being visibility impossible. She groans. It would be just her luck that she arrives at the Hamptons right as a record breaking blizzard hits. Work hadn't allowed her to leave on time, and now she was paying the price.

She lets out a frustrated huff, maneuvering her vehicle through the hazardous roads. She knows she's almost at her parents' residence, but she can barely differentiate between houses at the moment.

The car turns onto the familiar of street of her childhood summer home and Kate releases a sigh of relief. The moment she spies the driveway, she pulls her car into it and stops, leaning back into the seat. Her eyes glance at the digital clock on the dashboard, which reads five o'clock in the afternoon.

Damn, it took her five hours to get out here. Well, at least she could start her week vacation, even if she would be snowed in for a majority of it.

Getting out of the car, she walks, or rather stumbles, to the porch, her feet leaving deep impressions in the snow. With a finger pressing on the doorbell, she looks around, realizing something is different about the house. Did her parents renovate and not tell her? Maybe it was just the snow giving off the illusion that things were different. Yeah, that was probably it.

As she waits, a shiver runs through her body and she clutches her coat, creating a thin barrier between her face and the storm. Her boot taps impatiently against the wood as she wonders if her parents heard the ring. Her finger goes for the bell again, but before she can press the button, the door opens, revealing someone who is definitely not her father nor her mother.

"Um, hello?" the man greets, blue eyes staring at her in confusion. She gives him a once over. He's good looking, handsome even, and a good eight to ten years older than her. Also, his face is oddly familiar.

She frowns. "Isn't this the Beckett residence?"

"No, they're next door." He points his thumb toward the house on the left side further down the road.

Shit. Of all the places to live, her parents picked the area where the houses were a good distance apart.

"Great," she mutters before shooting him an apologetic smile. "I can barely see anything with the storm, so I got the houses mixed up. Sorry."

He laughs, waving a dismissive hand. "It's fine." He looks at her for a moment, before something dawns on him. "Wait, are you their daughter Kate?"

She nods. "Yep, that's me."

"They told me you were coming this week," he says, opening the door wider. "Look, why don't you come in until the storm passes?" She eyes him dubiously. "I have hot chocolate," he teases.

Well, it does sound nice. Plus, she'll become a popsicle if she stays outside any longer.

She steps inside, slipping her shoes off onto the carpet. She glances around, admiring the size and decorations of the home. The decor is tasteful, nothing screaming bachelor pad, at least from what she can see.

"I'm Rick, by the way," he says, holding his hand out. She shakes it, chuckling.

"I know. My mom reads your books," she responds. So does she, but he doesn't need to know that, yet.

"Yes, she's apparently my number one fan." A teasing glint forms in his eye, a smirk spreading across his face.

"Mhmm," she hums, removing her coat. Her mother's obsession with Richard Castle could sometimes put the average teenager's infatuation with the most current heartthrob to shame.

"What about you?"

She opens her mouth to answer, but is interrupted by a small voice at the top of the stairs.

"Who is it, Daddy?"

A flash of orange runs down the steps before hiding behind Rick's leg.

"Pumpkin, this is Kate, the daughter of our neighbors, Jim and Johanna Beckett. Kate, this is my daughter, Alexis."

The girl stares up at her, mouth agape.

"You're pretty," she blurts, making Kate laugh.

"Thank you, Alexis. So, are you."

The younger Castle blushes, stepping forward, playing with the hem of her pink shirt.

"Thank you," she mumbles.

Rick beams, placing a gentle hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"I told Kate here that we were about to have hot chocolate. Would you like to pick out the mugs, Pumpkin?"

Alexis answers with a toothy grin before darting toward what Kate assumes is the kitchen.

"Hot chocolate during a storm is a Castle tradition," he explains, leading the way. He goes for the stove, gesturing for her to sit down at the granite top island. "So, marshmallows, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings to top your beverage, or all three?"

"All three!" she responds, licking her lips. That much sugar is probably a bad idea, but with the journey she just undertook, Kate decides to indulge herself.

"Just whipped cream," Alexis says as she hands Kate a festive mug shaped like a reindeer and Rick a snowman.

"Always the responsible one." Rick lets out a dramatic sigh, pouring the liquid from the pot into all three mugs. He applies the garnishes, his toppings matching hers, and winks as he returns Kate's mug. "So, Johanna tells me you're a lawyer?"

"Yep," she replies, taking a sip. Mmmm. Her body warms as the drink slides down her throat and she sighs in contentment. "We're in different areas, but we still consult each other on cases."

"Mother and daughter power team," he states. "I bet you guys take the city by storm!"

She shrugs. "We do what we can, but it's not like we're famous or anything." Well, not that famous. Her mother was pretty well known, but Kate's still rising in her career.

"So, you fight bad guys?" Alexis inquires.

"In a way, yes," Kate says, trying to figure out the best way to explain her career to the little girl. "I make sure the real bad guys go to jail because sometimes the wrong person gets put on trial."

The young Castle furrows her eyebrows in thought, before nodding her head in acceptance.

"Cool," she replies, taking a gulp from her mug.

"Well, you know what I do." Rick rolls his eyes, shaking his head. "There's not much to it, besides staring at a screen, trying to come up with words."

"Also, procastion," Alexis adds, her lips pouting adorably as she tries to pronounce the word.

"Yes, lots of procrastination," he mutters.

Kate chuckles at his reaction, he just shrugs.

"Hey, I get it done!"

"Mhmm," she hums, finishing off her hot chocolate. "That was fantastic."

"It's my secret recipe," he says, taking her cup, their fingers brushing as he does. A sudden buzz between them occurs and Kate wonders if it's just her imagination. The startled expression on his face tells her otherwise. He cocks his head, saying, "Maybe I'll show it to you sometime."

"Okay," she murmurs, distracted by the newfound buzz in the room. What the heck was going on?

"Can we watch a movie?" Alexis asks, oblivious to the tension.

Rick smiles. "Sure, go pick something out and we'll come watch it."

The little girl leaves the two adults alone, and both are quiet for a moment.

"So," Rick starts, raising an eyebrow. "It looks like it's going to be a while before the storm dies down. Want to watch the movie with us? Unfortunately, I can't promise no singing, especially if it's a Disney movie."

"Well," she pretends to hesitate. "Singing is kind of a deal breaker for me."

"Please," he begs quietly. "It would be nice to watch a kids movie with someone who hasn't seen it or at least hasn't seen it in a long time."

"Alright, alright, I guess I'll watch it with you."

He pumps a fist in the air, causing her to smile. He's a bit childish, but in a cute way.

As they walk to the living room, Kate smiles, recalling how awful the start of her week had been.

She thinks, no, knows, it's about to get much better.


	16. Chapter 16

Prompt: Kate Beckett is New York's favorite celebrity chef. She even has her own cooking show on TV, where other people - not necessarily chefs - are occasionally invited to share their recipes. One day her producer and best friend Lanie Parish invites none other than Rick Castle, New York's favorite bad boy writer..."

* * *

Kate Beckett walks through the studio door marked _Kate's Cuisine,_ the scent of fresh morning coffee assaulting her nose, making her smile. She loves the smell of brewed coffee in the morning.

"Hey, girl," her friend, Lanie, greets, keeping in step with the brunette. "How are you doing?"

"Good. And you?"

"I'm great actually, particularly after the date i had last night."

"Oh, you'll have to tell me everything." Kate chuckles, knowing her friend-slash-producer will not hesitate in getting into the dirty details of her latest fling.

"I will later, but right now, let's get you ready for your show."

The brunette nods, heading toward her dressing room to prep herself and go over what she's going to cook for the episode that day.

When she enters her room, Kate strides over to her dresser, picking up the latest recipe cards from the vanity table. As she scans it, her lips curve upward slightly, grateful that these ones are easier than the ones from the other day. Not that she minds getting a challenge. After all, that's how she made to where she is now.

Being one of New York City's most famous chefs, and the youngest one at that, makes Kate strive to be good as she can be and perhaps even be a role model for potential female chefs. She struggled her way to the top, scratching and clawing up the ladder in a mostly male dominated world. She loved every second of it, even in the times where she thought she'd give up, but the perseverance paid off. Now, she has her own live cooking show where she is in control, with input from her colleagues, of course. Also, she has two published cookbooks. She couldn't ask for anything more.

Donning her apron, she heads into perimeter of the stage to get a quick makeup touch up. She doesn't wear too much, just enough to look good under the studio lights. As the makeup artist puts blush on her cheeks, Lanie reviews the plans for the day, which include two recipes, each supposed to take a half hour of the show.

"Oh, and we need to discuss your celebrity guest for Friday," Lanie says.

Kate sighs, pursing her lips. The celebrity segment had been an idea from the network, and while most of the guests were fine, she still wasn't too keen on the idea of having stars use her show to revive or maintain their fame. If someone shares her kitchen space, they should have the same passion for cooking as her, or at least meet her halfway. Unfortunately, none of the guests had done so, leaving her to fake enthusiasm and pick up the slack.

"Right. We can do it later," she murmurs. Her friend rolls her eyes, shaking her head.

"Yeah. Now go and wow your fans," Lanie urges.

So, Kate steps onto the stage, waiting for the signal from the cameraman to start as the crowd roars in applause. Then, the camera begins rolling and soon, the young chef is in her element.

Scents and aromas dance around her as she chops and mixes ingredients, the heat turning up as the sauce for the first recipe simmers in the pan. She revels in the sounds and oohs and ahhs from the audience as she shows simple tricks for making cooking the concoction easier. The utter feeling of joy she gets when in the kitchen and teaching cannot be matched by anything else and she feeds off of it.

By the end of the first half, adrenaline pumps through her veins and she's exhilarated. She takes a quick break, opting to drink water and glance over the next recipe.

The second half goes just as smoothly and soon, Kate finds herself saying goodbye to the audience for the day. As she pulls off her apron, Lanie approaches her, a smirk on the producer's face.

"Alright, so who is it?" Kate inquiries. With the expression on Lanie's face, whoever it is must be interesting.

"It's Richard Castle." Kate's eyes widen at the name. Richard Castle? The famous mystery novelist? Why did he want to be on her show? "According to his publicist, he's promoting his new book and thought being on the show would be a great way to reach one of his demographics."

Ahh, that makes sense. However, one main concern comes to the forefront of her mind.

"This is a family show, Lanie. Wouldn't his reputation be considered a little too… risque for the network?" The guy was on page six at least once a month, whether it was due to the newest arm candy he was dating or some mischief he had gotten himself into. She didn't need that type of personality on her program.

Her friend shrugs. "The network is fine with it, so it shall happen." The chef lifts her eyes to the ceiling. She really hates the network executives sometimes.

"Okay," she grumbles. Normally, she would be thrilled to meeting Richard Castle, if it was at one of his book signings or something and not on her wholesome, family oriented cooking show. She hopes he's not as promiscuous as the tabloids paint him.

Guess she'll find out on Friday.

* * *

Friday arrives faster than Kate would like and soon, she finds herself staring down the studio door, calming her nerves at the prospect of meeting her favorite author. Taking a deep breath, she shoves the door open, striding onto the set, hoping to exude an air of confidence.

"Is he here yet?" she quizzes Lanie, eyes roaming the room.

"Yep, he's in the guest dressing room. Might i say, he looks fine," the producer teases, shooting her friend a wink.

"Well, hopefully his behavior is just as pleasant," Kate replies.

As if on cue, the door to the hallway where the dressing rooms are opens and out steps Richard Castle. He walks toward them, fixing one of his sleeve cuffs in the process.

Kate takes the opportunity to give him a once over, enjoying what she sees. he's clean shaven, as he sometimes is for his book covers. The blue collared shirt he dons brings out his cerulean eyes and the black pants show off his, er, assets. She can't help but find the image in front of her very appealing.

"Katherine Beckett," he says in a suave tone, holding out his hand, a playful smile on his face. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Richard Castle, mystery novelist."

She nods. "Yes, of course. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Castle." She returns the handshake, noticing a buzz zip through her as his hand grips hers. "So, what will we be cooking today?"

He shrugs. "Please, call me Rick and nothing major. I figured I would go with simple recipes since we only have an hour. I do hope you find them appetizing."

"Well, guess we'll find out," she says, getting the signal from the director that the show will start soon. She puts on her apron, as does he.

"So, how long have you been doing this?" he asks curiously.

"The show? Four years. I got the deal soon after I was named one of New York's top chefs."

"Do you like doing this?"

What a weird question. "Of course. I love cooking, and this is one way I can share my passion with others. It's quite exhilarating, really."

His responding grin is full of mischief. "Gets your body going, hmm?" She almost snorts at the innuendo.

"You can say that," she replies, holding back an eye roll. The director waves them over, and the two step onto the set, taking their places at the main counter.

"Anyways, I look forward to heating up the kitchen with you." He winks.

Her nose wrinkles in disgust. "Is that the best you've got?"

His hand goes over his chest, feigning offense. "It's not that bad. Besides, it hard to form words in front of such a beautiful woman."

She holds back a chuckle, not wanting to encourage him, as her cheeks grow warm at his comment, and if her hair wasn't in a ponytail, she would be hiding behind it. Before she can respond with a witty comeback, the director begins counting down and both celebrities plaster smiles on their faces.

Well, here goes nothing.

* * *

Kate tries not stare at him in awe, surprised at how well he's doing with moving around the kitchen. It's like the area is second nature to him, just as it is to her.

For the first recipe, he had picked chicken milanese with spaghetti; a simple dish with plenty of herbs and flavor to please the tongue. Her eyes fixate on his hands, which deftly cut the chicken in front of him.

"I don't know about you, Chef Beckett, but I believe this dish is perfect for a date night at home with your significant other. To me, it has a bit of a homey feel, but still romantic."

She blinks, thinking of what to say. She prefers not to have a teleprompter in front of her, wanting her interaction with the audience and her guests to be authentic. Now, she wishes she had one.

"I agree. Although, it would be best to clean your palette with a sweet dessert, particularly if you plan to do anything afterward. Herb breath is not the most attractive thing to have on a date." The overwhelming urge to hit herself bubbles up. What is she doing, implying sex or at least a make out session on a family show?

"Oh, I assure you, Chef, there's always something happening afterward." This elicits collective laughter from the audience.

"You sound quite sure of yourself,' she tosses back, finding their banter refreshing.

"I am. After all, I have been told I know my way around the kitchen." His gaze burns holes into hers and she needs to remind herself to finish the sauce before getting distracted.

She chuckles as she adds basil and garlic to the sauce pan, making sure it doesn't over boil. Rick prepares the breading portion, pouring flour and grated Parmesan cheese into a bowl before tossing it to combine the two.

He really does know his way around the kitchen, as if he belongs there. They move in sync, passing each other ingredients as required. They're so in tune, in fact, that Kate almost forgets the audience. Almost.

She hears chuckles and murmurs, but the crowd is mostly silent as the two work and banter back and forth. It's strange, in a good way. She has never clicked with a celebrity like this before, even fellow chefs.

Soon, the spaghetti is put into the pot and cooked, and the oven goes off for the chicken. Rick sprinkles extra basil leaves over the pasta as the finishing touch and he urges Kate to take a bite. Lifting a fork, she takes a piece of the chicken and a portion of spaghetti, inserting it into her mouth. The moment the food touches her tongue, her tastebuds sing. The herbs are combined precisely and the chicken is tender. In short, it's freaking delicious!

When they cut to a commercial break and Rick turns to her, an expectant look on his face.

"So you liked it?"

"It's really really good," she admits.

He beams, pleased at her praise. "Good. I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you make, but it's not bad for a lowly mystery writer."

"I will say it's not as delicious as my cooking," she jokes. "However, it could get there. How do know how to cook so well anyway?"

The smile he gives is bittersweet. "Well, my mother isn't exactly the best cook and when you have a growing human in your house, you have to know how to make something besides macaroni and cheese and chicken fingers."

She furrows her eyebrows in confusion. He has a kid? She doesn't remember any press releases mentioning one.

"Alexis, my daughter," he elaborates. "I keep her out of the press as much as I can. I don't want her in the spotlight. Well, as much of a spotlight as a novelist can get."

Her lips turn upward slightly, finding some newfound respect for the man for trying to protect his kid.

The director signals that it's time to begin again.

"So, what's the next recipe?" she asks, eager to cook whatever he has to offer.

"Oh, I think you'll enjoy it," he answers vaguely, smirking as the director begins counting down.

She shrugs, unsure of what he means, but if it's as good as the first meal, she's sure her taste buds will be in heaven again.

When it's clear they're on air again, he starts, saying, "So, for my next recipe, I'm going to be taking everyone back to your childhoods. Who else loved it when their parents took a break from the usual cereal or oatmeal during the week and made chocolate chip pancakes on Saturday morning?" There's a round of applause and nods of appreciation from the audience."I make them for me and my daughter on Saturdays. It helps put a bright spot in the mundane week." He smiles and Kate can tell he's recalling a memory. What it is, she doesn't know, but she finds herself wanting to discover what's going through his head.

And, mmm, chocolate. Chocolate is Kate's weakness, something he knows, which means he either watches her show or did research on her. She wonders which one it is. Maybe she'll ask him later.

This recipe is far less complicated than the first one, requiring only a simple batter mix and chocolate chips. They both mix the batter, although Rick puts some ingredients of his own to add a slight twist. She raises an eyebrow, eyeing it dubiously.

"It tastes good, I assure you. My five year old says so and she's a tough critic," he states, earning giggles form some audience members.

She pours the batter on the griddle and they chaat as the food cooks.

"Unfortunately, I'm not talented enough to make fresh syrup, but the bottled kind is just as good."

She snorts, knowing that even the best chefs can have issues creating the perfect syrup.

The timing and cooking points are very precise and one mess up can destroy the whole thing. She knows, having done it countless times herself as a rookie.

"Oh, I think we can forgive you this one time," she murmurs, looking at him. He's staring at her, triggering butterflies in her stomach. What is with her?

Once the food is done cooking, Rick tops it with a large mound of whipped cream, syrup, and chocolate chips.

"Looks like you have a sweet tooth," she comments.

"Well, you can never have too much sugar, Kate, especially whipped cream." He smirks, and she rolls her eyes, not as bothered by his comment as she would've been earlier.

"Well, I have my limits, especially when it comes to toppings. Too many can ruin the experience of the main course, I think. " Snickers emanate from the audience, along with a few ooohs, members having caught the double entendre. She feels blood rushing through her veins, grateful for the connection between them.

She thanks him for being on the show and he returns the gesture before doing a quick plug for his book, which is supposed to be released within two weeks.

"Well, hopefully the commercials did enough promotion for my book," he mutters. "Anyway, thank you so much for letting me cook with you today, I really enjoyed it."

"You're welcome, I did too," she admits, smiling, pushing a stray hair behind her ear. Ugh, this man was making her act like a school girl with a crush.

They stare at each other for moment, seeming lost in each other's eyes when a little voice interrupts them.

"Daddy! Daddy!" a little red-headed girl, who Kate assumes is Alexis, exclaims.

"Hey, Pumpkin," he greets, lifting her up into his arms."Isn't Gina supposed to be with you?" Alexis shrugs and Rick sighs before asking, "So, what did you think?"

"You were awesome!' she says, eyes wide. "But Chef Kate was even better." He faux pouts.

"Why thank you, Alexis," Kate replies, feeling a strange sense of pride at receiving praise from a five year old.

"Daddy and I watch your show all time," the girl states as a matter of fact. "We both do it for the cooking, but Daddy also thinks you're pretty."

"Does he now?" She raises an eyebrow, smirking at the sheepish look on Rick's face. Well, that explains how he knows about the chocolate.

"Yep. Daddy cooks all of your recipes, and they're super yummy. He wanted to make a s'morelette, but I told him not to, because you wouldn't like it."

Kate laughs as Rick's expression appears like he wants the floor to swallow him whole.

"Who knows? Maybe I would." She closes her eyes and internally groans, realizing what she said.

"Why don't we find out?" Her eyes fly open at his statement and he winks. "Come to our loft and help me cook one of my infamous s'morelettes. It'll be fun," he sings.

Did Richard Castle just invite her into his home?

"Please, Chef Kate?" Alexis begs, giving the woman puppy dog eyes. Oooh boy, these two are ganging up on her.

"Sure, why not?" she answers. It will be nice to take a break from the usual routine.

Alexis beams, hugging the woman and Rick's eyes twinkle in happiness. The sight makes Kate's heart flutter and she wishes that she could make him do that all the time.

Who knows? Perhaps this invitation will lead to so much more.


	17. Chapter 17

Prompt: Chef Kate sequel.

* * *

Kate gazes at her reflection in mirror of the vanity table in her dressing room, smiling. It's Friday, meaning she has a celebrity guest on the show. However, it's not just any celebrity.

She glances down, chortling as she picks up the recipe cards on the table. As much as she enjoys the element of surprise, it's nice to know the recipes she'll be cooking with her guest ahead of time. One of the many advantages of having your boyfriend as your partner for the day.

She reads through the recipes despite having already memorized them. She and Rick had done a test run of the recipes in his kitchen the week before, agreeing on doing one entree and one dessert. Rick, of course, had chosen a sweet, but classic confection for dessert.

Thankfully, he didn't plan to apply any of his unique twists to the recipe.

As she puts on her apron, there's a knock on the door.

"Come in," she calls.

A moment later, the door opens, revealing Alexis with Rick right behind her.

"Hey," he greets as Alexis bounds over to her.

"Hello you two." Kate smiles as Alexis gives her a hug and the brunette returns the gesture. "Nice sweater," she comments, grinning at the festive top he's wearing.

He shrugs. "I figured I might as well go all out. It is your Christmas episode, after all."

"Dad wanted to wear his really ugly Christmas sweater, but I told him no," Alexis states proudly, making Kate chuckle.

"I appreciate that," Kate teases. Then lowering her voice to a mock whisper, she murmurs, "Besides, the dancing reindeers make him look adorable."

"Hey, only a real man would be willing to wear this." He pouts before breaking into a smile. The trio laughs before he cocks his head toward the hallway. "Ready to go?"

She nods, guiding Alexis out the door and to the set. Once near the cameras, the girl bids them goodbye before going to sit in the front row of the audience.

She and Rick step onto the stage, which has been decorated for Christmas, complete with a tree in the corner and garland strung across the front of the counter. To go with the theme, Kate had chosen to wear a green apron decorated with snowmen throughout.

"Ready, partner?" she asks.

He winks. "I'm ready when you are."

Then, the cameras start rolling.

* * *

They're almost halfway through the show and the audience is howling with laughter at Rick's latest joke. Kate rolls her eyes, but the upturn of her lips gives away her amusement.

"Alright," she starts, hoping to get back on track. "Now, we're going to let the ham bake for a while at three hundred fifty degrees. We'll see you all again after the break."

The audience applauds as "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" plays overhead. Soon, the people are leaving their seats to stretch their legs or whatever else needs to be done.

Kate turns to Rick, raising an eyebrow.

"I like the feel and sweetness of honey, really?" She's loves her boyfriend, but sometimes he conjures up the cheesiest jokes and innuendos. Which can be cute, just maybe not in front of a live audience and national television.

His eyes glisten with mischief, a wicked smirk on his face.

"Oh, but you do, especially when I,"

She playfully slaps him on the chest, interrupting him before he can go any further.

"As much as I like that," she murmurs, smirking as his eyes grow dark. "Our audience, particularly innocent children, doesn't need to know about sex life."

He pouts but nods. "Okay, I'll lighten up on the jokes, a little."

She shakes her head, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. "Thank you."

As they prepare for the next portion of the show, Alexis waves excitedly from the audience. The couple waves back, wide smiles on their faces.

When Kate had first started dating Rick, it had taken Alexis a while to warm up to the chef, despite her initial excitement at having Kate over for dinner. This had confused Kate, until Rick explained the girl's history with Meredith, her mother. So, once Kate knew she intended to be in her relationship with Rick for the long run, she tried to show the girl that she planned to stay, such as spending as much time with Alexis as she could. So far, it worked.

"She's says she wants to become a chef like you someday," he comments "Or maybe a writer, or an astronaut. She can't decide. However, chef is definitely on top of the list."

Kate laughs, acknowledging that as mature as the now six year old can be, she's still a little kid.

"Maybe she'll be a food critic or a writer for a food magazine. Who knows? But, she's a good cook." Alexis helped Kate around the kitchen in the loft a lot, and the red head was a quick learner, eager to discover new recipes. Perhaps she would follow in Kate's footsteps…

"Breaks over," calls Lanie, causing the couple to return to their positions.

Once the cameras begin rolling again, Kate places the finishing touches on the honey baked ham, which include pineapple.

Moving onto the dessert, she and Rick make the batter for the cake, with her making sure he doesn't overdo it with the cocoa and vanilla. She's not one to stifle creativity, but since they're in front of an audience, the cake needs to baked as it's supposed to, so as not to confuse anyone.

Like last time, they work perfectly in sync, maybe even more so. The energy and passion from both of them is palpable as they mix, sift, and combine the ingredients into the bowl. They don't even need to tell each other when to pass a part of the recipe over, the other person just knows.

Soon, they finish the recipe and place the cake in the oven. Rick turns to her, a playful grin on his face.

"So, Chef Beckett, do you have any plans for Christmas?"

She snorts, since he knows full well what her plans are for the holiday.

"Well," she answers. "I am going to spend the holiday with my boyfriend and his adorable daughter and wonderful mother. Oh, and he's not so bad either. So, what are your plans?"

A collective chuckle emanates from the audience, the crowd knowing full well that the two have been dating for eight months.

"I'm planning on having dinner with my family, my beautiful girlfriend and her lovely parents. I'm just hoping she'll enjoy my cooking."

"I'm sure she will." She leans in and faintly hears cries of 'kiss' and a few joking 'get a room' from the audience. However, she steps back, earning a few mutters of disappointment. "Now, why don't we check on our cake?"

The Yule Log is perfect and the couple quickly whips up the icing for the confection, and spreads it all over the cake. Rick garnishes it in confectioner's sugar, holding up the end result for the audience to see.

They bid the crowd goodbye and begin walking back toward the dressing rooms, Rick wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.

"That was fun," he says, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"I'm glad. Thanks for agreeing to do this with me," she says, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Anything for you. Besides, I figured it was great way to start the holiday by commemorating the way we met.'

"Mmm," she hums as they enter her dressing room. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leans in close and kisses him. The kiss grows and soon he backs her up against the vanity table, soft moans escaping both of them.

"As much as I'd like to continue this," he murmurs in between kisses. "My daughter will probably walk in on us at any moment and she does not need this image in her head."

Kate huffs, stepping back and straightening her shirt under the apron before smoothing his out as well. "You can make it up to me later." She winks as she removes her apron.

"I'm sure you'll hold me to that," he replies, kissing her forehead. "So, what time did your mom and dad say they were coming to join the holiday festivities?"

"Um, three o-clock." she says, removing her hair from the ponytail it's in. Her parents absolutely adored Rick and had hit it off quite well at the first meeting. It didn't hurt that her mom was a huge fan of his books.

"Good. Gives us plenty of time to get ready." He pulls her to his chest, resting his chin on the tope of her head. "And open presents and eat breakfast with the other two fantastic women in my life."

A grin breaks out on her face. "You're sappy today," she comments.

She feels him shrug. "It's the holiday season, it's as good a time to be sappy as any."

She nods in agreement, breaking away from from his embrace when she hears a knock on the door. She opens it to reveal Alexis gazing up at her, eyes filled with excitement.

"That was so much fun!" the little girl exclaims. She runs over to Rick and sits on her father's lap, who is currently sitting in the chair in front of the vanity table.

"What was your favorite part?" Kate asks, standing behind Rick.

As the red head chatters about the show, Rick glances up at Kate and winks before an adoring smile crosses his face as he gazes at his daughter. Kate listens intently as well, her heart warming at the innocence of the little girl. It's moments like this where she feels like she's part of the family, one of the Castle clan.

Hopefully, one day, she will be.


	18. Chapter 18

Prompt:You think you're being sneaky sending your kid back to my door over and over again and in different costumes in order to get more of my delicious homemade candy/fudge. Did you think I wouldn't notice her long flowing red hair?!"

* * *

Kate hums to herself as she removes a tray of freshly made fudge from the refrigerator. Inhaling, she smiles as the scent of chocolate and nuts reaches her nose. Licking her lips, she's tempted to take one for herself, but knows she needs to save everything for the impending guests that will visit her door soon.

For the finishing touches, she drizzles icing, alternating between orange and black, on top of the fudge, along with picks shaped as ghosts, bats, and blacks cats, to give the sweets a more festive look. Then, she reaches for a pumpkin-shaped plate on the counter, placing the treats, each piece being moist to the touch, on it. Soon, she hears the symphony of the pitter patter of feet and children's laughter approach her door. Chuckling, she dons her black and purple witch hat, opening the door to greet the small visitors.

"Happy Halloween!' she exclaims, holding out the plate for the group of approximately eight children. Each child takes one, their parents giving her a nod of thanks before shuffling to the next door.

She starts to close her own when she notices another child running down the hallway, and a man, presumably her father, chasing after her.

"Slow up, Pumpkin," he calls, making the girl skid to a stop right in front of Kate's door.

"Sorry, Daddy," she replies.

Kate smiles, admiring how adorable the little girl looks with her red hair flowing down her back. The color is a stark contrast to the pink colored costume, which adorns a large "S" in the middle.

She holds out the plate for the little girl to take one of the pieces of fudge. The girl reaches for it, but then hesitates.

"Do these have body parts in it?" she inquires. Kate blinks, shocked at the girl's question.

"Alexis," her father admonishes. Glancing at Kate, he gives her a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I guess that's what I get for telling her halloween urban legends before going trick-or-treating. Apparently, body parts in candy is a popular theme."

"And not too far off from the truth, unfortunately." Kate frowns, recalling some of the Halloween tales her fellow officers regaled her with earlier. Stories of medication mixed into candy bowls and tales of discovering suspicious hard pieces of sweets had fallen from their lips. A feeling of disgust fills her body at the thought of someone wanting to terrorize children. It also makes her expect that some parents will turn down her offer of homemade sweets to avoid any problems.

"Oh?" the man asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm a cop," she says. "Some of the stories I've heard regarding Halloween would make your stomach turn."

He nods. "Maybe, maybe not. I do write mystery novels for a living, but things involving kids? No thanks."

"Definitely," she mumbles.

Alexis interrupts their conversation, tugging on her father's pant leg. "Come on, Daddy. Let's get going, otherwise I'll miss my bedtime."

He laughs. "Alright, Pumpkin. We'll go." They start to leave before the man turns back, gazing at the cop. "Thank you…"

"Kate," she supplies. "And again, Happy Halloween."

He winks before following the fluttering, hot pink- colored cape of his daughter's costume.

As soon as they leave, she shuts the door, letting a little squeal of excitement escape her.

She just met Richard Castle!

* * *

Kate lounges on her couch about a half an hour later, reviewing some police procedures when she hears another group of children reach her door. She gets up, opening the door and allowing the children to grab their treats as she guesses what costume it is they're wearing. However, a mane of long red-hair catches her eye and she chuckles softly, realizing that Alexis has changed her costume to a bat, in an attempt to hide her real identity.

Not in the least bit perturbed, Kate allows the girl to take another piece of fudge, figuring that the red-head wants seconds. After sending the children on their way, she shuts the door again, before returning to what she was doing beforehand. However, her mind goes back to Alexis and her father. They seem quite the characters and Kate hopes that she sees them more often.

However, she sighs, knowing that's near impossible since this is the first time she's met them since she moved in two months ago.

Shrugging, she returns to her book and forgets about the author and his daughter for a while.

The next hour and a half passes quickly, children arriving at her door in spurts. She passes out the fudge, and unsurprisingly, some parents pass on it.

 _More for me_ , Kate thinks to herself.

Soon, the volume of kids begins to slow then comes to a full halt, leaving Kate with more sweets than she originally thought she would have left. Smiling, she pops the remaining treats inside the fridge, having every intention of finishing them during the week.

She's just about to put the last tray in the fridge when there's a knock at the door. Furrowing her eyebrows, she opens it, the sight of a child in a white sheet greeting her.

"Boo!" the girl shouts. A slow smile forms on Kate's lips as she recognizes the blue eyes peering at her from behind the sheet.

"Hello, again," she says. "Come back for more?"

"Huh?" the little girls replies, clearly pretending to be confused.

"I know it's you, Alexis." She chortles as the girl pouts beneath the thin sheet. Looking down the hallway, she sees Richard standing by the elevator.

"My Daddy really likes your fudge," Alexis confides.

"Oh, he does, does he?" Turning back to the author, she calls. "Then maybe he should come get some himself." She hears a loud groan come from the author as he approaches her.

"Did you have to rat me out, Pumpkin?" he asks playfully.

"She knew it was me." The girl shoots her father a puppy dog look.

"Okay, okay," he relents. Gazing at Kate he says, "Yeah, your fudge is really scrumptious. I sent Alexis back for more." He chuckles. "As you can see, I can't resist treats myself."

"I noticed." She rolls her eyes in amusement. "So, would you like the rest of my fudge? I think you're the last of my trick-or-treaters."

"Oh, can we?" Rick and Alexis ask simultaneously. At this, Kate releases out a full bellied laugh as she goes to retrieve the trays from the fridge. She gives each Castle a tray.

"I wish I knew how to make these for home," Rick muses as he snags a block from the tray and shoves it in his mouth.

"It's my mother's recipe." Her heart aches a bit at the motion of her mother, her mind recalling the years she spent leaning over a large bowl at the kitchen counter as she aided her mother in making the treat for several Halloweens in her childhood. That was before she became a teenager and felt it was uncool to help her mother bake. Oh how she wishes she could take back that lost time.

"Well, maybe you can give it to me?" he asks, his eyes begging.

"Sure, if you come over for me to teach it to you," she teases, the words out of her mouth before she can stop them. Nonetheless, she isn't too mortified when he beams at her.

"Sure!" he enthuses.

"Okay, why don't you and Alexis come over on Saturday? I'm off." Her training officer is always bugging her to take off, so this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Plus, it could be nice to have some joy in her life for a bit.

"Sounds like a plan," he replies, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"We're going to make fudge!" Alexis exclaims, running to the elevator. "Come on, Daddy. I need to get to bed otherwise I'll miss my bedtime and I'll be in trouble."

He sighs. "Somehow she's the responsible one. Thank you, by the way. See you Saturday!" He waves before going after Alexis, warning her to not trip over the sheet.

Kate snickers, shutting the door. Looks like she'll have to go food shopping in the next few days, but she doesn't mind at all.

What a Halloween this turned out to be!


	19. Chapter 19

Prompt from rtds9fan on castlefanficprompts:When a bunch of yelping and scratching from the apartment above her keeps Kate up all night she's had enough. Rushing upstairs she starts to let the man at the door have it. She notices he's more into trying to stop something at bottom of the door than her. What she finds is an apartment full of puppies! "Sorry! I rescued them from(a bad situation) and..." " it's ok" Kate smiles. How can she stay mad at a handsome man who rescues puppies?!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Scratch! Scratch! Scratch!

Kate groans, throwing a pillow over her head, attempting to muffle the sounds of the incessant noise from above.

Scratch! Scratch!

Her teeth set, her legs swinging over the bed until her feet hit the wood floor. What the hell is the person doing up there?

Scratch!

Her eyes flicker to the ceiling, glaring. This is night number three of this madness and lack of sleep for her. And, she has to get up early for her patrol tomorrow. Her body needs rest!

Throwing on a pair of sweats, she stomps to the elevator, taking it to the floor above her. She's able to figure out which apartment it is she's searching for, and really it's not hard, since the same sound is coming from just beyond the door.

Her fist knocks, and she has to restrain herself from pounding on the wooden surface. She waits, hints of a shuffling noise reaching her ears.

A second later, the doors opens a crack, revealing an admittedly handsome guy, who's clearly distracted.

"Hello?" he asks, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, blues eyes wary. "May I help you?"

She opens her mouth, momentarily stalling when she spots something nudging at the door before the man's foot blocks it.

"Yeah, I live in the apartment below you and I've been hearing this scratching sound the past few nights." A small groan escapes him, but she presses on. "And I don't know what's going on but it's been depriving me of sleep and I need to get up early." She purses her lips, shrugging.

She hates sounding like a pest, but she really doesn't want to be dragging her ass while on the beat. Her fellow officers would never let her live it down.

"I'm sorry," he starts, a bit sheepish. 'It's just-" He stops just as the thing that's been clawing at him climbs over his leg and outside the apartment. A ball of fur tumbles out, paws front forward.

"Han," he whines at the adorable animal, the puppy shaking itself.

The creature ignores him, going for Kate, tiny paws clutching her ankle.

"Hi there!" she croons, heart melting at the sight of golden retriever. Picking him up, she cradles him against her chest, his black eyes gazing at her before licking her cheek, earning him a smile from her. "Aren't you sweet!"

"Sorry," the man apologizes, chuckling. "I found him, and two others, abandoned in a box the other night. It was raining and they looked so cold." Her annoyance dissipates at his story as his head shakes. Soon, there's a cacophony of prancing paws and yips. Two heads poke through the crack, one brown and the other black and white. "No, Luke, Leia, stay back!"

Her eyebrows raise in amusement and she snickers as the puppies clamor to escape the apartment.

"So, you're what's been making the sound!" she exclaims, playfully glaring at the three of them.

"Yeah, they've been overly excited and nervous," he explains. "I'm Rick, by the way."

"Kate," she responds, bouncing Han in her arms. "Is it all right if I set him down?"

"Sure, come on in." He opens the door wide enough for her to enter. She walks in, cautiously stepping around the duo of puppies.

As soon as she's inside, the other two are at her legs, begging for attention. A soft giggle emanates from her lips as she releases Han from her grasp.

Looking up, she takes a moment to examine the owner of the apartment. He's definitely handsome and in fact, looks extremely familiar.

"You're Richard Castle!" she says, voice bordering on a squeak.

"Yep, that would be me." He chortles, running a hand down the two- toned dog's back, receiving a nudge in response. "Good girl, Leia."

"What are you doing here?" Last she recalls, he doesn't live in her building, let alone the neighborhood.

"House sitting for a friend," he hums, walking to the living room. The small horde of puppies follows suit, almost climbing over one another to reach him.

Mouth setting into a frown, she inquires, "Don't you think they'll be annoyed by a bunch of dogs in the house or the remnants of them?" She sure as hell would be pissed, regardless of how cute and cuddly they appear.

He shrugs. "I'll have everything cleaned up before he gets home. I figured I could give these guys one for a little bit." Taking something off the table, he sets three bowls down on the floor, the trio of creatures diving in, a symphony of munching filling the apartment.

"They are adorable," Kate sighs before turning to him apologetically. "I'm sorry for bothering you, it's just I need to get up early for my beat."

"Beat…You're a cop?" The amazement in his voice for some reason makes her blush.

"Yeah, been on the force for a year. I plan to make detective at some point.

"That's so cool!" he chirps.

She rolls her eyes at the boyish grin on his face before returning her gaze to the puppies.

"Would you like to take one? I'll definitely keep one, but I don't know if all three will be tolerated at home with my mother and daughter."

She shakes her head in dismay. "I wish I could, but with my hours, I'm lucky I can take care of myself between shifts." Disappointment settles within her as Leia turns around, staring at the brunette imploringly with her big, brown eyes. "You're not being fair," she grouses, earning a yelp in response.

The man beside her snickers. "I'm here for another week if you want to visit them…and me." He winks, earning another eye roll.

"They're worth a visit," she teases.

She leaves with a promise from him to keep the scratching to a minimum.

It's the first time she sleeps soundly in the last three days.

* * *

She goes to visit the puppies, and admittedly Castle, every day. All of them make her laugh and forget the darkness that surrounds her career, if even for a brief moment. At the end of the week, she caves and walks out with Leia in her arms, along with bags full of dog food and toys.

On the way out, Castle slips her his number as well as an invitation for coffee. Nerves almost get the best of her, since she hasn't had a decent date in a while.

"What do you think, Leia?" she asks her new companion. "Should I go on a date with Castle?"

The puppy lets out what she assumes is a yip of approval. She chuckles.

Looks like she'll be trying two new things this week.


	20. Chapter 20

AN: Apparently when my brain isn't occupied with case briefs, it's brainstorming fics. Hope y'all enjoy.

Set before Season 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Kate sighs, her fingers curling around the handle of her umpteenth cup of coffee for the evening. She lifts the cup to her lips and takes a small sip, grimacing. It's bitter, but these days it always is, given her inability to recreate the special taste he gave her coffee every morning.

Shaking her head, she leaves the break room and returns to her desk in the otherwise empty bullpen. Everyone else left hours ago, but she hangs around, bathing under the light of her lamp as she buries her head in work. It's not like she has anything or anyone to go home to anymore.

As she works, the sound of someone shuffling reaches her ears. She pays the person no mind, knowing it's the janitor cleaning up for the night.

While she reads the file in front of her, the employee gets closer, sweeping around the desks and chairs. The person's slow, which means they're probably new and want to do a good job. Regardless, Kate doesn't plan on moving an inch.

When the person finally reaches her desk, Kate glances up and shoots the man, who is most definitely a newcomer, a polite smile. However, Kate isn't prepared for what happens next.

Just as the brunette turns to her stack of papers, the janitor grips the chair, _his_ chair, and begins to drag it away. Kate's head snaps up, her gaze burning holes into the man's head.

"What are you doing?" she hisses to the poor, confused young man.

"The chair is old and it's clear no one sits in it," he explains. "I'm just going to move it so it's not in the way."

He starts to slide it across the carpet again, but Kate stands up, swiftly throws her hand out and clutches onto one of the arms of the chair.

"Put it back," the detective growls.

"But-"

"I said put it back!" Her voice is loud, almost a shout.

The janitor immediately drops the piece of furniture in fright before readjusting it back to its original position.

"Never touch that chair again, got it?" Kate snaps. "It stays where it is." A tentative nod is the only response.

The poor man scurries off, far away from the detective. Once he's gone, Kate glances at the chair, a sob building in her throat. She refuses to remove it or let anyone else sit in it. It's his chair, it will always be his chair.

And even if she has to move heaven and earth, he will be sitting next to her again.

Soon.


	21. Chapter 21

castlefanficprompts: Instead of mystery/crime Castle writes a series of kid's books,think Harry Potter. Kate has a daughter who loves the was supposed to get one for her on her birthday that just happens to fall on the day the newest book comes out. But due to a tough case Kate was late getting to the store and they're all sold out every where! But it just so happens Kate was in the book store Castle was offers her a copy and offers to met her daughter to sign in snaps him up on it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Kate races toward the bookstore, checking her phone.

 _Only have another seven minutes_.

She curses, furious at the guy who's currently in holding back at the precinct. His stubbornness during interrogation now forces her to be late for her main task of the day. Damn criminals.

Soon, her feet skid to a stop in front of the entrance and she sighs, pushing the door open, feeling hopeful. However, her heart sinks at the sight that greets her.

The display for the book she intends to buy is empty. Biting her lip, she fights the urge to kick something, instead settling on massaging her temple with two fingers.

 _Anna is going to be disappointed_ , she thinks forlornly.

The girl who has captured Kate's heart since the day she was placed in her mother's arms as a little pink bundle, screaming as she began her life in the world, turns ten as of today. And now, Kate doesn't have anything to give her.

The detective's fingertips glide over the wood of the octagon display as she shakes her head. Her lips turn upwards, imagining the absolute glee on Anna's face as she unwraps her present, something she's hinted at for months. Now, it looks like it isn't happening.

Someone behind her clears their throat, snapping her out of her musings. Turning around, she raises an eyebrow, clearly indicating her annoyance at the interruption.

"Is everything okay?" the person, a man, inquires.

She examines him, finding the man quite handsome with well-groomed brown hair and blue eyes shining with genuine concern. It takes her a second to realize who he is.

"You're Richard Castle!" she answers, her eyes wide. Holy shit, talk about coincidence! She's seen his pictures on the book jackets, but he looks so much better in person.

A soft chuckle escapes his lips. "Yes, that would be me." He shrugs. "So, what seems to be going on with you…"

"Kate," she supplies. "Kate Beckett." Sighing, she purses her lips. "And it's silly, sort of."

An eyebrow arches, as if challenging her.

"My daughter's birthday is today and I really wanted to get her your latest book. She absolutely adores the series and was so excited for the release of the latest one. But I was late in getting here because some asshole at work decided to hold me up in interrogation and now he's in holding. Honestly, I almost want to go back there and strangle him for making me late in getting the one thing my kid asked for, and she _never_ asks for anything."

With that, she clamps her mouth shut, realizing she's divulged more than intended.

Once she finishes her tirade, his eyes examine her, sparks of curiosity in them.

"Interrogation?" he quizzes. "You're a cop?"

She glares. That's the only thing he's retained from her whole speech?

"Detective, actually."

"That's awesome!" he states. "I've always been a little into mystery writing."

"But you write about magic," she replies.

"I know and I love it," he responds. "Don't get me wrong, it thrills me to no end to see kids get into reading because of my books. Also, the way they relate to the characters is always remarkable."

"Yeah, Anna adores Sophie," Kate admits, smiling. Her daughter practically idolizes the fictional young, intelligent sorceress who guides her friends through the turmoils of magic.

"She has good taste," he jokes. "But, seriously, I love writing the series, but I do want to dabble in a bit of mystery at some point."

"That would be interesting," Kate states.

He cocks his head, thinking. It's kind of cute. "Listen, I actually have an extra copy of the book with me. I would be more than happy to sign it for her."

She gapes. "Really?" Frowning, she remembers one important factor. "How much?" While she loves her daughter with everything she has, money is tight.

"No cost," he assures. "I'll be right back."

She waits, rocking on her heels, disbelief flooding through her system. He rounds the corner a moment later, pen and book in hand.

"So, how old is she?" he questions, flipping the book to the cover page.

"She's ten," she answers.

"Ah, double digits, huh? I remember when my daughter turned ten. She felt like such a big girl and now she's sixteen." A wistful expression forms on his face. "Time flies," he murmurs with a melancholy edge.

"Yeah, it does," she concedes. She briefly recalls mentions of his daughter in the papers.

Closing the book, he hands it to her, grinning.

"Tell you what, since ten is such a big age," he teases. "How about she meets the author of her favorite series as part of her present?"

The brunette shakes her head. "You don't have to do that, I wouldn't want to impose."

"Nonsense." He waves a dismissive hand. "Alexis is out with a friend and my mother is…somewhere tonight. I'm more than happy to contribute to a young girl's birthday." His enthusiasm is infectious and she finds herself grinning.

"Well, if you're sure," she says, her heart warming at his generosity.

"Oh, I am," he insists.

So, they saunter off to her apartment.

Anna is going to be so excited!

* * *

The duo arrives at her apartment a half hour later, Kate rapping her knuckles on the door. Soon, it flies open, the beaming face of her daughter greeting them.

"Mom!" she exclaims. "You won't believe what Grandpa and I did."

"Well, you won't believe what I brought home for you," Kate teases, ruffling her daughter's blond hair, which comes from her father. Rick had decided to hide up against the wall in order to surprise Anna.

"What?"

Rick appears in the doorframe, beaming.

Anna's hazel eyes enlarge, a girlish squeal emanating from her mouth.

"You're Richard Castle!" she shouts. "This is so awesome!'

"Can we come in?" Kate jokes as her daughter gestures them in.

"I can't believe this," Anna breathes, eyes trailing down the author's form. Kate chuckles. Her daughter, usually full of words, is speechless.

"I hear you're birthday is today," he chirps. 'I brought something just for you." He produces the book he's been holding behind his back.

"Ohmygosh, it's the new _Magic Paths_ book!" She grabs it, flipping through it, stopping at the cover page. "You-you signed it!" Laughing she reads his message out loud. "Dear Anna, I hope your birthday is filled with just as much magic as Sophie's adventures. With love, Richard Castle." Peering up, her eyes shine with joy, looking at her mother. "This is the best birthday present ever! Thank you!"

The girl hugs her mother, who returns the gesture. Then, the girl glances up at Rick, her expression sheepish.

"Can I hug you?"

Rick chortles. "Of course!"

Anna gives him a quick hug, just as Kate's father enters the room.

"What's all the excitement about?" he questions, confused.

Kate quickly explains the situation to him, astonishment forming on the older Beckett's face.

"Ah, well that was very nice of you, Mr. Castle," Jim states, shaking the author's hand. "Would like to stay for dinner?"

"I don't think-"

"I'd love to! And please, call me Rick."

Kate shoots him a surprised glance. He just winks.

As they eat, Rick regals them with stories of his mother and Alexis, having the whole table burst out in laughter. When Anna speaks, he pays rapt attention, as if hanging on her every word.

Kate finds it sweet, and it kind of makes him even more attractive.

The one thing that she finds strange is he keeps glancing at _her_ throughout the meal, intrigue written on his face as she shares an edited version of her day at work.

"It's so cool you catch bad guys, Mom," Anna chirps.

"It is awesome," Rick agrees, winking at Kate.

She waves her hand, trying not to blush. "Yeah, well, it's mostly paperwork."

"It is amazing what you do, Katie," her father remarks quietly. They exchange a glance, her father's eyes glowing with pride.

She gives him a sad smile and sighs, standing up to retrieve the cake. Entering the kitchen, she rests her hands on the countertop.

"You okay?" a familiar voice asks for the second time that day.

"Yeah, I just-" she stops, shaking her head. "I miss my mom. She would've loved Anna." What the hell is she doing? She never opens up to anyone like this.

"I don't doubt it," he murmurs. "She seems like a great kid."

"She is."

She looks up and they lock eyes, concern etched into his features. Thankfuly though, he doesn't push for more.

"So, cake?" he prompts.

Rolling her eyes, she grabs the box out of the fridge, setting up the candles on the chocolate frosting, as per her daughter's request. Once the decorations are complete, they sing 'Happy Birthday' as Kate carries the cake out and Anna blows out the candles.

Everyone devours their slice, and Anna opens Jim's present, which is a beautiful locket with a picture of the three of them on one side and a picture of Johanna on the other. Soon, the girl says goodnight to everyone.

"This was the best birthday ever! Thanks Mom!" she murmurs, kissing her mother on the cheek. "And thank you for staying, Rick."

"It was my pleasure," he chimes.

The girl bounds upstairs to her room, waving as she does so.

The adults chat for a while longer before Rick stands, indicating his departure.

"It was nice to meet you, Jim," he says, shaking hands with the elder Beckett. Turning to his hostess, the author shares a playful, but uneasy grin. "Hey Kate, could I talk to you outside?" he asks, uncertainty in his eyes.

The brunette feels butterflies in her stomach as they walk, her father shooting a knowing look in her direction.

"What's up?" she inquires once they're in the hallway.

"I don't want to be presumptuous, but Anna's father…" he trails off, leaving the implication clear.

"Not in the picture. It was a one time fling." A drunken one at that, when her demons got the best of her and she had gotten tired of being alone. However, she doesn't regret it all. It gave her Anna, her world, the person who pulled her and her father out of the darkness.

"Then I can ask you, would you like to grab coffee with me sometime?"

Her mouth goes dry, shock pumping through her veins.

"Um, sure," she starts, still a little stunned. "But, could I call you? My schedule between work and Anna can get pretty hectic."

"Sure, no problem." From his pocket he pulls out a scrap of paper with his number on it, causing her to raise an eyebrow. "I may have been confident you would say yes."

Snorting, she lets her fingers snatch the paper from him.

"I will call you,' she assures.

"I'm counting on it." He smirks. "Thank you for tonight, I had a great time."

"Thank you for making my daughter's birthday special," she answers. "Goodnight."

"Until next time, _Detective_." He winks once more before going to the elevator.

She sighs, standing in the hallway, trying to compose herself. However, she allows one small giggle to escape her.

Yes, the day had definitely gotten better.


	22. Chapter 22

AN: Prompt from Lou in reference to 1X09 "I need a fic where the pants drop. Just saying"

A little silly, maybe. Hope y'all enjoy it nonetheless.

* * *

She's annoyed. Scratch that. She's pissed.

The two men, who have been acting more like little boys, one a former lover and the other- whatever he is, have gotten on her last nerve. She glowers, their bickering ringing in her ears.

"Oh for god's sake, why don't you both just drop your pants and get it over with?" she snaps, exasperated. The response she receives isn't one she expects, even from Castle.

Without a word, the man in question stands up, his hand reaching for his fly. She wants to object, she _should_ object. They're in the damn precinct, after all. However, some sick, and maybe overly curious, part of her wants to know if all the tabloid stories are true. So, she watches.

He unzips his fly and undoes the top button of his pants. Then, he drops his pants, leaving them to pool in a black puddle of fabric around his ankles. He, much to her disappointment, leaves his boxers on, but they little to the imagination. Of course, her eyes betray her, sliding to inspect what's contained beneath the blue cotton.

"So?" he inquires, wagging his eyebrows at her.

Biting her lip, Kate feels a flush grow on her cheeks. From what she can discern, the claims about his size are most definitely true. His…parts are clearly outlined through the fabric, the bulge prominent and seemingly long. And his ass doesn't disappoint either, her fingers itching to grab one of the well rounded cheeks. Her mind begins going places, places she's promised herself to never wander to.

Once she snaps out of it, she glares, lips pursed.

"What's wrong with you?" she snips. "Pull up your pants."

It takes all of her willpower not to look at his attributes one more time as he complies with a cheeky grin. Mmm, cheeky.

 _Stop it, Kate_.

He turns to Will, an expectant look on the author's face.

"No thanks," Will answers, a look of utter disgust on his face. "I'll pass."

His answer isn't a surprise, since he does have a little more decorum. However, there's a flash of insecurity in his eyes, and Kate has to fight the snicker building in her throat. Will's decent in that department, but Castle beats him by a mile.

Speaking of mile…

Shaking her head, she fights with herself to not linger on the thought. So, she directs them back to the case.

* * *

She tries to not think about it for the rest of the time. However, the moment nags at her. It doesn't help that she sees his chest as he suits up for the drop off. And, part of her finds it cute when he rambles about ying and yang.

When he offers to celebrate with a drink, she declines, smirking.

"I have a date, actually."

"You date?" She almost rolls her eyes at his shocked tone. "With who?"

Without missing a beat, she grabs his hand, dragging him to the elevator. Once they're safely inside, she backs him up against the wall, the expression on his face a cross between confused and aroused.

"You," she purrs. "And those boxers of yours."

"I knew you enjoyed my little display," he crows in delight.

"I like having evidence," she explains, a hand lowering to his crotch. "To support any claims made." She cups him through his pants, forcing a growl from his throat.

"I hope I don't disappoint," he jokes, just as the elevator doors open. She tosses him a smirk as she walks off the lift, hips swaying.

When they get to her apartment, their hands are on each other immediately, clothes strewn across the floor as they travel to her bedroom.

When they're done, he rolls off of her, raising an eyebrow.

"So?" he questions, a playful smile on his lips.

"The claims have been certified, I think," she teases.

"You think?" A boyish pout forms on his face.

"I need more evidence," she states before capturing his lips with hers, hooking a leg around his thigh.

So not disappointed.


	23. Chapter 23

AN: So, I came up with this idea about a year ago, but never finished it. So, here ya go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Rick hums, opening the door to his loft, stepping inside, carrying the mail under his arm.

"Hey, babe," Kate greets from her spot on the couch, glancing up from a book. Not one of his, unfortunately.

"Hey," he replies distractedly, rummaging through the papers in his hand. "Looks like you've got mail." He hands her a small envelope, the recipient address written in blocky letters.

Taking it, she frowns, arching an eyebrow. "There's no return address." Nevertheless, fingers rip the top of the envelope, pulling out a regular sheet of paper. Her eyes glance over it, the frown morphing into a scowl.

She bolts up from the couch, her bare feet stomping on the wood floor as she strides toward the garbage. However, as she passes him, he snags the letter from her, wanting to know what's upset his wife.

"Castle!" she scolds, reaching up to grab it, but he holds his hand high in the air, reading it aloud.

"Detective Beckett," he recites, pursing his lips. "What gives you the right to decide what's corrupt? Nothing, that's what! I cannot fathom how you came to the conclusion that you did. Regardless, a low-level cop such as yourself obviously does not understand the magnitude of your mistake." The hell?

"Keep reading," she murmurs in a resigned tone.

"How DARE you arrest Senator Bracken. The good he has done for the state of New York is more than you'll ever do in your sorry little life." He snorts in disbelief. "I hope you burn in hell." Shaking his head, he grumbles, "Of course it's not signed. Coward."

"Yeah, well, let me throw it away," she slips it from him and throws it in the bin.

"I can't believe someone had the audacity to send that," he hisses, anger boiling inside him. They've been in near death situations multiple times, but this one letter makes him fear something he never really thought about.

She lifts her shoulders, giving him a sad smile. "I've gotten worse regarding the incident."

Huh? "Since when?"

"A few weeks after he was arrested, I started getting letters, threatening me and degrading me for putting him behind bars." She doesn't seem too affected. "I still receive them now and again, but it's died down." He knows the snide remarks come with the job, but not this.

"How come I didn't know about it?" Surely, he would notice numerous letters without a return address.

She sighs, eyes filled with an apology. "You weren't here."

The statement cuts deeper than it probably should. The fact that he couldn't protect his wife from receiving vicious letters digs at him, adding to the long list of things of how his absence affected his family.

"Well, that is going to get fixed," he announces. "I'll go down to Eduardo-"

"Babe-"

"I'll tell him that needs to get rid of all letters without a return address. Hell, set them on fire-"

"Babe-"

"Or maybe not, since they could have arsenic in them-"

"Castle!" she shouts, interrupting his ramblings.

"Yeah?" He looks at her, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"Now that I have your attention," she starts, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's fine. There's no reason to bother Eduardo; they're just letters." She plants a quick kiss on his lips.

"But they're awful," he insists. "Also, what if one of them had been poisoned?" His writer's imagination begins to go into overdrive, all the horrifying possibilities running through his head at once.

"They're not bad, they're just like your fan mail." That earns her a disapproving glance. "Just less endearing and more infuriating."

Huffing, he sees her point, mostly. However, that doesn't mean he won't sneak down to the doorman later and direct Eduardo to toss any suspicious looking packages or letters addressed to her. It's least he can do for not seeing it sooner.

Standing on her tiptoes, she brushes her lips against his, distracting him from his thoughts.

"Stop blaming yourself.'

"I wasn't-"

"You're weren't thinking very loudly," she teases.

Chuckling, he wraps his arms around her before sobering. "I just hate the thought of you receiving those, all while dealing with my disappearance."

"I forgot about them as soon as I threw them in the trash. My mind was strictly on finding you," she murmurs, lips grazing his jaw. "Although, your protectiveness is kind of hot. Now, come on and help me make dinner."

He relents, allowing her to drag him into the kitchen. As they pass the trash can, he resists the temptation to throw a match into the container and light the malicious words on fire.

A discussion with Eduardo is definitely on the agenda for tomorrow.


	24. Chapter 24

AN: Based on Lou's (InkyCoffee's) prompt: What if Castle's dive toward Beckett made the bullet miss completely?

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

* * *

Rick stands, grasping the handle of Montgomery's coffin, listening to his partner recite the eulogy. He may be the wordsmith, but she can be just as well spoken when needed.

As she speaks, he notices a strange glint. It's barely visible under the gleaming sun, but he still spots it, horror overcoming him when he realizes what it is.

"Beckett!" he shouts, his body springing into action.

He pushes her out of the way, knocking her to the ground. He ignores the shouts and screams from the audience as they both hit grass.

"Wha-" she starts, gazing at him in confusion.

"I thought I saw something," he says, beginning to think he's crazy. He looks around and a second later his worst fear is confirmed. Laying on the ground only a foot from them is a bullet. A sniper's bullet to be exact. "And I was right."

"What the hell?" Esposito demands, him and Ryan surrounding them. Rick merely points to the bullet.

"Shit," Ryan swears. "We'll start canvassing the area, see if we can find anyone."

As the two depart, others come, voicing their concerns to the duo. Beckett waves them off as she sits up, shaking her head.

"I'm fine," she reassures everyone. Her eyes flicks to him, a grateful smile on her lips. "Thanks for that."

"Always," he murmurs, his gaze locking with hers.

While he appears calm, alarm bells go off in his head. Not only could she have been killed, but the incident is a reminder that her mother's case is far from over.

"Let's go back to the precinct," she says. He begins to protest, but she shakes her head. "I was almost killed, and I'm sure it won't take long for whoever it is to learn that the shot failed. I'd rather be somewhere secure."

He nods in understanding, following her to the car. He'd rather not have another attempt on her life today.

However, he's sure another one will follow.

* * *

It never comes, for whatever reason, but he's thankful for it.

It's been two weeks since the attempt on her life and very little has changed between them, at least on the outside. To others, it would seem as if they're just partners, but he notices the extra smiles she's been giving him, the increased glances and finger brushing when she reaches for her morning coffee.

He's unsure of where they stand though, and he so wants to know.

When it comes to the case, they've hit a dead end and upon the insistence of the newly installed Captain Gates, have ceased investigating it, much to Beckett's consternation. However, he wouldn't be surprised if she was investigating off the clock, as usual.

As he sits in his customary chair, Beckett's phone rings and she glances at it, rolling her eyes.

"Josh?" he questions. "Isn't he in Haiti or something?"

"I wouldn't know and it was Lanie," she answers, lips pursed.

"You haven't spoken to him?" Huh.

"Not since two weeks ago."

Two weeks ago? That would mean…

"You haven't talked to him since the shooting?"

"Nope." Her eyes flick around, checking to see if anyone's listening. "We, uh, broke up, actually?"

Oh…Oh!

"Really?" He tries to sound concerned. "What happened?"

She sighs, glancing up from her paperwork. "He called me the day of the shooting, and I guess he could tell I had had a rough day. He asked me what was wrong and I found myself not being to say anything. He didn't know about my mom, let alone the case, and I knew he wouldn't understand. He was nice, don't get me wrong, but I realized it wasn't fair to him to leave him in the dark like that." She shakes her head. "I want to be able to talk to someone and let them see that part of me without issue."

He's about to say 'I do" but her eyes meet his, making clear that she knows.

"I see," he murmurs. "So what was Lanie texting you about?"

She chuckles, huffing. "Setting me up on a blind date. I told her no."

"Good," he blurts out, causing her to eye him. "Just that, ya know, maybe too soon?" It's a weak suggestion and they both know it.

"Nah, I'm just not interested."

He hums, leaning back in his chair. He doesn't what it is, but her revealing that information seems to bring something new between them, assuaging some of the tension.

He wonders what's to come.

* * *

Rick smiles, enjoying the happy ending he's witnessing

"A writer and his muse, fighting crime just like us," he says.

"Yeah," Beckett murmurs. From his peripheral vision, he can tell she's not looking at the doors. "So, uh, I was wondering, would you like to go to Remy's?"

There's an uncertainty about her, telling him this is more than just a routine stint at their favorite diner.

"Sure," he chirps. "I'm buying though."

"Good, because it wouldn't be date if you didn't," she jokes.

He freezes for a second, grinning when she doesn't correct herself.

"Got it."

They enter the elevator, standing close to one another.

"So, the usual?" he asks as the lift moves downward.

She shrugs. "I don't know, I might try something new."

A moment later, he feels the warmth of her hand encasing his and on instinct he reciprocates.

"I think I will too," he responds and she bites her lip, ducking her head. It's adorable.

"Let's do it then," she says as the step off the elevator.

And into a new chapter for both of them.


End file.
